Vivre et Laisser Mourir
by W Arcturus Black
Summary: Magical Britain has neglected and abused him, and now they're on their own.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thank you J K Rowling for creating a wonderful world where our imagination can play.**

Author's Note: Thank you for all of the views, follows, favorites, and comments even the negative one. I felt that I need to flush out a bit of the details around this first chapter almost doubling the length. Going forward expect chapters to be at least 4,000 words and chapter 2 is a little more than half way completed.

 **Vivre et Laisser Mourir**

 **Chapter 1**

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Out flashed Prongs to save my cousin and me from certain death. Typically this spell is the end of my troubles. In my third year, it made 100 dementors flee so I could save my Godfather from having his soul devoured. This time it was nothing of the sort; just the start of a big pain in the arse. As I helped a limping Big-D back home we were stopped by Mrs. Figg.

"Harry keep your wand out in case they come back," whispered Mrs. Figg. She walked to the opposite side of Dudley and helped carry him the remaining block home.

As we approached the house Aunt Petunia screeched, "What have you done to my Dudders?"

Before I could respond Mrs Figg had replied, "They were attacked by dementors in the park and Harry saved them."

Much to my astonishment, Aunt Petunia gave me a hug and thanked me for saving Dudley. 'Wow two firsts in the same night: A hug and a thank you.' I asked, "You know about dementores?"

"Of course I do. That greasy haired stalker Snape told Lily and I all about dementores and Azkaban. I had nightmares for weeks."

"Severus Snape? What a bloody tosser! Can you tell me more as we get Dudley some chocolate? The chocolate releases some chemical to aid in recovery."

After Dudley started his second chocolate Mars bar but before Aunt Petunia could tell me anymore, a ministry owl dropped a letter notifying me that due an additional infraction against the underage use of magic I was to be expelled from Hogwarts and someone would be there shortly to snap my wand. Besides being worried, I was angry as this was undoubtedly unjust, probably illegal, and definitely forced me to move up my timetable.

Aunt Petunia asked, "Harry, what can we do to help?"

I replied, "Please tell them that you don't know where I have gone."

She nodded acceptance and I rushed upstairs to grab my trunk and Hedwig's cage which I tossed in my trunk. After tapping the shrinking rune, I placed my trunk into my pocket.

Hedwig was still missing from the trip she had taken to Hermione's three weeks ago. I had only received three letters that summer. The first letter was five weeks ago, Sirius told me to behave and that he would see me soon in a fortnight at longest. The second followed a few days later. My former friends told me that they were together at some headquarters and Dumbledore requested they didn't tell me anything because it wasn't safe and that I should take the time alone to get over Cedric's death. I may have been hysterical the day he died but keep in mind I had just spent three hours in a maze of horrors, tortured by Lord Voldemort, seen my dead parents as specters of some sort, and miraculously survived an encounter with in a cemetery with 23 murderers. I had finished grieving for Cedric before I even left the infirmary. They also mentioned something about Dumbledore stating it was for the bloody greater good. That stupid phrase reminded me of Grindelwald's "Das Höhere Wohl" kind of like whenever a muggle politician writes a book with "Mein Kampf" or "My Struggle" as part of the title it makes me question if he or she is aware of the Infamous historical figure they have copied. The last letter was a care package from Ginny loaded with my favorite treats. Uncle Vernon was trying to starve me again and the food would have been lovely had it not been laced with potions. Luckily, Dobby stopped me from ingesting that toxic food as well as he brought me high protein and nutrient dense meals six times a day as part of my plan for improving my health. I had realized Dobby's need to be bonded during the prior autumn when Hermione was on her S.P.E.W. crusade. I had tried to tell her about the symbiotic relationship between wizards and house elves but like usual she knew best and I couldn't possibly know something she did not. So I offered Dobby and Winky jobs. They did my chores for me in the morning while I exercised before the Dursleys awoke for the day,

After coming back downstairs, I walked out into the back yard and took out my emergency portkey to Gringotts. As a friend of the nation, I would be granted sanctuary and hidden from the British wizarding world for as long as needed. After arriving at the VIP entrance, I was ushered into Throatslasher's office. My account manager must have had a colorful background to have earned that name.

As I finished talking with my personal banker, a few owls arrived. Dumbledore's requested that I stay with my aunt for a few days more and that there would be a hearing in the ministry rather than an immediate expulsion. Sirius's scolded me from being away from the protections of the house, reminded me to stay out of trouble, and promised that I'd see him soon. None of the expected things like good job saving yourself and your cousin from certain death, sorry your babysitter/ guard abandoned you so he could fence stolen goods, sorry it has been three weeks longer than was promised to get you away from the Dursleys or sorry I haven't said or done anything to help you since November. I had been so excited to have a Godfather that said that he cared about me that I overlooked most of deficiencies but this was ridiculous. The Ministry's letter confirmed Dumbledore's claims and so I had a week to get ready for my hearing with Madams Hopkirk and Madam Bones of the DMLE. Although my pint size spies, Dobby and Winky, painted a different Ministerial plan that would require a much more thorough preparation. Regrettably, Madam Bones neither questioned the unprecedented escalation of the hearing into a trial nor notified me of the changes nor my rights.

On the morning of my hearing I walked into the Ministry decked out in my new navy Anderson & Sheppard suit from Savile Row. I looked ready for muggle court with a style that one might expect from the Duke of Windsor or Fred Astaire. Yes, this was in front of the Wizengamot whose style was stuck back in the Victorian Era but I had gotten rid of the glamour I had worn for the past two years and wanted to make a statement with my new physical prowess. I was 5' 10" and had the body of a competitive swimmer. I was attempting to bulk up to a light-heavyweight boxer physic.

With the extensive damage done to my body by the Dursley's and others' loving care it had taken two years of potions, strict diet and extensive exercise recommended by Gringotts chief healer. I decided I needed to hide the corrective work so that my foes underestimated me Also I was concerned that some of those foes would try to undo all the hard work. Madam Pomphrey never mentioned any of my long term medical issues or how they could be corrected with potions and elixirs.

I walked into the Wizengamot room that I had seen previously from Dumbledore's memory with just three minutes to spare. I noted that Dumbledore was missing and knew that he was probably off scheming the most effective pop in at the last minute to save me from the big bad Wizengamot. I asked the Chief-witch to seal the doors so we could proceed without interruption as I wasn't waiting for anyone else. The prosecution was ready and so the doors were sealed so that we could start this farce.

Fudge stood up and gave a quick bang of his gavel. "I call this emergency session to order so that we may try the case of the People of Magical Britain v Harry Potter. The case is simply that of Harry Potter's blatant disregard for the law. He is broken two of our most sacred and most important laws: The Restriction of underage magic and the International Statute of Secrecy by producing a Patronus charm in front of a muggle in a muggle neighborhood. We, the Ministry, feel that he should be expelled from Hogwarts and have his wand snapped." He was playing the room like a seasoned politician and had roughly three-fourths of the room applauded. He then asked, "How does the defendant plead?"

I replied, "As I was muggle raised and have no advocate, may I please speak with you a moment about a deal perhaps it is called a plea bargain, I think that it is what it is called at least in the muggle world?"

His eyes got big and he smiled like the Cheshire cat. We walked over to the corner and spoke in hushed tones for 2 minutes. He then broke away into a huddle with a toad dressed from head to toe in bubblegum pink. She nodded in acceptance of my deal.

Fudge addressed the assembly and stated that I was willing to make an unbreakable vow to leave England forever in front of the press and in exchange I would have clean record even the charge of underage magic from just prior to my second year would be dismissed and I would get a free portkey out of England to MACUSA in New York City immediately after the press conference. No one objected and a large majority could barely contain their happiness.

Inside, I was furious. People that owed my family everything and some had sworn alliances were about to be broken; these were ancient pacts. One Potter ally going back over 50 generations was seconds away from being irrevocably destroyed, as the Longbottoms had stood with the Potters since before the Wizengamot had been established. Inadvertently, I had fulfilled my duty to them during the first two years at Hogwarts by being one of the only people that was kind to Neville and helping him whenever I could. For the past 2 years I was hoping he would acknowledge the alliance and was sad to see that during the tournament he was among the traitorous Gryffindors. The other Great Alliance member had a 30 generation old pact with my family. Madame Bones was my secondary Godmother and the third person that should have taken me in after my parents' death. I had a numerous complaints about her and Susan. In fact, Malfoy was the only Hogwarts student that I loathed more than Susan Bones. I had been actively looking for a way to get out of a betrothal with Susan since I had discovered it two years ago. Lady Bones was just minutes away from losing her fortune but on the bright side it would allow me to get out of the betrothal with that Hufflepuff harpy.

Obligations made to my second House were about to be put into immediate default, because they had taken me to trial in breach of their obligations to the rule of law. Sometimes before I do something really stupid I get this feeling in my chest telling me to stop. Well most of the members of the Wizengamot were just about to cast a vote accepting the deal contrary to what their magic, their conscience, or whatever else it might be compels one to proceed with extreme caution.

Fudge called a vote and it was unanimous to accept my deal. He banged his gavel and announced the session was closed. As the seal was broken to the back doors members rushed out to find the best spots to watch the press conference up in the atrium.

Fudge and I walked out of the room. As we passed the Malfoys, Fudge gave them an obvious gesture that better than the desired results had been secured. As we went up the elevator Fudge mentioned to me there should be no hard feelings. It was not personal, just business. I replied, "After the press briefings you should read Mario Puzo's actual quote. It is highly insightful to today's proceedings" It was clear he was excited that I would be leaving the country forever, the payoff from Malfoy was substantial, and that this nonsense about Lord Voldemort coming back from the dead would soon be over.

We walked up some stairs to the podium and he started, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the press and Wizards and Witches of our fine country. Today we have had the trial of one Harry James Potter due to some major infractions of the law. Realizing his guilt he has made a plea bargain to be exiled from England in exchange for a portkey to MACUSA and for his record to be wiped clean." He brought me up to the front and called for the Unspeakable that would do the binding to come forth. He handed me the conditional portkey that would become viable after the vows completion. Unbeknownst to him I knew his portkey was a one way trip to the maximum security wing of Azkaban. He and Umbridge thought that they were beyond clever, but I came prepared with my own portkey to New York. Their underhandedness could come in handy someday soon. I'd requested a unique activation phrase tied to my voice so no one else could set it off.

Finally, I saw Dumbledore. He was in the back clearly agitated by the proceedings. The soft grandfatherly facade was dropped with the snarl on his face and his fists clenched. I even saw some veins protruding on his forehead.

I asked the unspeakable to put up a shield charm so no one could interfere with the delicate oath. In a loud clear voice I swore "As I am as guilty as Sirius Black, my sworn godfather, I Lord Hadrian James Peverell Slytherin Potter Black and Heir of Gryffindor do solemnly swear on my magic and based on the integrity of the Minister following through with his promises, do promise to never return to land inside the borders of Modern-day England found on Insula Albionum due to the crimes committed against me and my families by both the non-magical and magical populations. So mote it be." There was a gold flash of my magic acknowledging my oath.

I put the ministry provided portkey away and I pulled out my portkey and shouted over the din of the shocked attendees, "Another press conference is waiting for me and to Tom: England is yours!" And with a pop I disappeared from the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to J K Rowling for creating a wonderful world where our imagination can play.**

Author's Note: Thank you for all of the views, follows, favorites, and comments even the negative one. I felt that I needed to flush out a few the details around this first chapter almost doubled its length on June 11th. Going forward expect chapters to be at least 4,000 words.

Vivre et Laisser Mourir

Chapter 2

Transatlantic portkeys are less fun than you would believe. But I imagine it is better than traffic to Heathrow, the crowds, almost eight hours in a chair, and then traffic from Queens into Manhattan. I landed without a misstep and walked over to my fiancé, Daphne (the Ice Queen of Slytherin and the Greengrass Heiress) and gave her a quick hug. With my lips close to her ear I whispered, "Love, I've missed you."

With a heavenly smile only a select few had ever seen, she teased, "I love you more." As the hug released I kept hold of her right hand to my left and we walked up to the podium to address the world's press.

The non-British press has definitely been less antagonistic than their British counterparts over the past two years. Truth be told, both Fudge and Dumbledore have looked incompetent over the past year with the handling of the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament turning into the sideshow that it was. Indeed, Magical Britain is viewed as backward-least of all because most of the purebred magicals are oblivious to anything outside of the British Isles and only a handful have ever left Europe. The major differences come from not using electricity, still using candles, quills, owls, blood purity, incest, and discrimination against non-human magicals.

Daphne started with a brief introduction: "Thank you for coming to this press conference. In a moment, Lord Hadrian James Peverell Slytherin Potter Black and Heir of Gryffindor will be speaking with you and will present some evidence validating his abrupt departure from England only moments ago, as well as to make some official notices that are regarding his family's policies and alliances.

After the crowd and I gave her some applause, I kissed her cheek and I took my spot at the microphones.

"Thank you for coming to this press conference today. There's something rotten in England these days! Just now I had to swear a magical vow of exile to avoid being expelled from a school where I am the majority owner. A week ago, Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge interpreted Minister Fudge's rants about finding a way to "silence me" as an order to have me assassinated. She sent two dementors to snog the soul out of me in a Muggle children's park 90 minutes before sunset. The two dementors not only attacked me but also my nomaj cousin-who is one of the three living direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin. After her primary plan failed, her secondary plan called for a falsified "underage use of magic" report. However, I was emancipated and the trace was removed from me at age twelve when I killed a basilisk in single-combat using Grandfather Godric's sword. On that day Magic recognized me as the emancipated Heir Apparent of Gryffindor. Moreover, because I am the sole magical member of the Most Ancient and Revered Houses of Peverell and Slytherin, I would have been emancipated, by Merlin's tradition, on my 13th birthday. Lastly, who can forget my Triwizard Tournament appearance?! Rule 364 states: 'Automatic adulthood for those selected by the Goblet of Fire.' Clearly, the first charge of underage wizarding is dragon dung. The second charge of using magic in front of a Muggle is just silly because Dudley has known me for almost fourteen years and he has known that I was a wizard for the past eight years which was well before I found out I was a wizard on my 11th birthday. Additionally, Dudley is actually a squib.

One might ask why agree to leave if their case had no merits? My reply is simple this is the same country that held my blood magically sworn Godfather, Sirius Black, the Heir of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, in prison for twelve years with neither interrogation, hearing, or trial. If he had been guilty of the crime of turning my family over to Tom Riddle and his Death Eaters, he would have died an excruciating death moments later. Lucius Malfoy had bribed Minister Fudge to push for expulsion. Additionally, the Magical British press has been slandering me for the past nine months so there was a low probability of a fair trial. Lastly, the friends of my parents and grandparents have never reached out to me since my return to the magical world and each of their heirs has physically attacked me on multiple occasions. In summary, why give my enemies a chance to send me to Azkaban.

Before we get to the fun part of my departing present to England and the Q&A portion I wanted to share some scenes from my time in England on this witness pensieve or as they are called at home a solicitor's pensive. Please watch carefully and note the life debts earned, the alliance members not only failing to defend but also intending harm, vassal members failing in their familial duties"

*****Harry's Memory from the Chamber of Secrets, Spring 1993*****

'Why wasn't I more careful while stabbing the Basilisk?' One of her fangs went clean through my forearm and now I could feel the poison burning through my veins. I imagine an IV of molten lava would be a more tranquil experience. The pain was worse than the beatings I had received from Dudley and his friends when I lost a game of "Harry Hunting." It was worse than the attempted exorcism-even worse than having a cross branded into my chest or the many hours of horsewhipping provided by an inebriated Uncle Vernon. I knew I was going to die, but the worst part was knowing I was going to fail to stop Tom from coming back to life.

As the corrosive venom was melting my internal organs and muscles, I noticed the diary next to Ginny and reached over to see the start of so many of my problems that year. Ginny getting that book and opening the chamber had turned the whole school against me when it was discovered that I was a Parselmouth. The bullying from the Hufflepuffs, especially Abbot and Bones sending mild cutting curses at my bag and clothes and smiling when they hit flesh instead or the tripping jinxes as they passed me on the stairs. I had been as surprised by this as they are rumored to be such nice girls. The mocking from the many of the older Gryffindors was to be expected-they had already done that the prior year when I had lost so many house points saving Hagrid's arse from being caught Dragon breeding an illegal species for Scotland. I was also surprised that Neville and the other Weasleys were scared of me. The Ravenclaws shunned me. The worst were the school teachers that overlooked my sometimes-daily visits to the Infirmary for the hexes I would get walking in the supposedly magic-free hallways. At least the Slytherins were consistent: Draco's crew was overtly obnoxious while the rest silently observed...

Tom's maniacal laugh yanked me from the depths of my thoughts as he jeered at my labored breathing as the last few moments of life were ebbing their way out of my chest and dissipating into thin air. He further bemoaned that the basilisk had failed to kill any mudbloods and blood traitors this year but that he would head upstairs within the hour to cleanse the school of their filth permanently. He mocked me for coming to save the Ginny. He had seen her mind and heart and knew that this spawn of oath breakers and her family were planning to enslave me with potions to this girl so that they could steal the Potter fortune. This girl had already planned on patiently seduce me over the next four years and then push me to martyrdom as soon as she had birthed my male heir. He gloated about how I was just a mark for Ron to manipulate and that no living person cared about me.

In a tantrum of anger at the injustice of it all, I took the beleaguered fang and resolutely stabbed the diary five or six times. I probably would have continued had it not started to burble and bleed black sludge. What's more, Tom commenced to writhe and wail as his body started to bloat and the reseed onto itself like a grape turning into a raisin in accelerated speed. The floating ball of anguish writhed and then a poof at it ceased to wail or even exist. I stared in shock and was startled when Fawkes came back to comfort me in my last moments. Tears of anguish were turning to tears of acceptance that soon I would be reunited with my family. Fawkes joined me as my tears fell onto him and his tears fell onto my arm. Soon my pain seemed to soften and even tiptoed towards joy; looking down I noticed that the bite wound, the poison tracks and the scars on my arm were gone.

After thanking Fawkes for all of his help, I asked him to take Ginny to the hospital and I would go get Ron and our fraud of a professor. As I climbed out of the hole in the rubble, Ron was anxious to hear about his sister. I related that the snake was dead and that Fawkes had taken her to the infirmary.

In parseltongue, I asked for stairs and we walked our way back up to the infirmary.

The scene ended and switched to a scene inside of the Shrieking Shack.

*****Harry's Memory from the Shrieking Shack, Spring 1994*****

After the big reveal that Lupin was a werewolf, Sirius was innocent, Snape had been taken out with a disarming charm and Scabbers was really an Animagus the assumed deceased Peter Pettigrew. The memory played through quickly to the point where we were in the infirmary begging Fudge to listen and we were pleading with the Headmaster and the Wizengamot's Chief Wizard to get Sirius a trial. Both declined. After Fudge left, the Headmaster gave Hermione the idea to break the laws of time to go and save a Hippogriff and Sirius. The press was startled to see the swarm of dementors attack us and then to see my full bodied Patronus not only chase off the dementors but it also sent off reverberations that vaporized the closest twenty or so of them.

Truth be told, I showed off the last part of the scene to brag as well to show Tom that I can do something that no one else has even done to a dementor.

*****Harry's Memory from the Hogwarts Great Hall, Halloween 1994*****

"Harry Potter!" called out Dumbledore holding the fourth piece of paper that has just popped out of the Goblet of Fire.

Clearly, in shock, I got up and walked to the front. Dumbledore tried to direct me to the side room but I stopped and told him and those listening, "I swear that I didn't enter my name and why would I risk my life for only a thousand galleons, that's barely £5,000! You promised me that my name would not come out of this bloody flaming cup!"

He replied, "Please wait with the others."

So I walked into the room to wait. This was the day, all sorts of problems started up again. As well as the last day that I held any respect for Albus Dumbledore.

*****Daphne's Memory from the Hogwarts Great Hall, Halloween 1994*****

'I can't believe that Harry's name came out of the goblet. My boyfriend was promised a quiet year. I wish he would have sworn a Magical oath rather than just make that statement.'

After Harry walked into the other room with the champions, Dumbledore turned to the audience and after performing some magic on the paper stated, "Harry's name is on this paper and it is confirmed that he wrote his name on this paper. I'm not sure how he got it past the age line but he has to compete." The room was filled with hisses and boos. There were some yells of "Potter is a cheat" and "He's a liar" from the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs. I was surprised that not a sound was made by a Slytherin besides Malfoy and his bodyguards. Dumbledore walked off to the room and we were excused back to our dorms.

*****Harry's Memory after leaving the Hogwarts Great Hall, Halloween 1994*****

I walked into the room and sat on a chair to the side. Cedric asked why I was there and Dumbledore burst in with an entourage up to me and demanded, "Did you put your name in the Goblet?"

"Of course, I did not! What would I have to gain? In fact, can you name the winner of the last tournament or how about any of the last ten winners?" I might have continued in my rant but I caught myself before revealing any additional information to the Great Manipulator. I was now aware of Family History and I'm not the first Potter to compete in this tournament, in fact, I was the fourth. Seven hundred years ago Abiathar Potter won the tournament. Thirty years later his daughter Rose died in the second task while attempting to rescue her injured fiancé from a set of manticores. Lastly, four hundred years ago Nathaniel Potter was part of the last tournament. He, the other contestants, and one hundred and fifty spectators were killed by a rampaging Nundu that escaped the maze before the last task even started.

Headmistress Maxim, Fleur Delacour, Professor Snape, Cedric Diggory and Headmaster Karkaroff interrupted each other's attacks on my character, physical prowess, intelligence, and magical ability. Only Barry Crouch Jr. as Moody and Ludo Bagman spoke in my favor. Upon reflection, Bagman was excited to have the Boy-who-lived hype up the coverage in the tournament and boost sales and Crouch's life depended on getting me to the graveyard at the end of the tournament but naively I was glad to have any adult support whatsoever.

After leaving the great hall and turning the corner to head up the stairs to my dorm, I sensed a trap. I wandlessly cast a full body shield that encircled my body just outside of my basilisk hide armor but inside of my clothes. No sooner than a second later I was pelted with rotting food, eggs, ink bottles, dunk bombs and undiluted bubotuber pus. I continued to walk through the gauntlet as shouts of "we hope you die," "cheater," "liar," "show off," etcetera were yelled at me while Madam Sprout and Cedric Diggory watched on approvingly. Susan Bones fired off a semi-lethal cutting curse at my back while I ascended the stairs and Hannah Abbott sends of a gouging curse. At the last second, I side stepped out of the pathway of both of those spells that ended up damaging the staircase.

After leaving the stairs, I went up to the Gryffindor common room and found my trunk next to the door. I banished this set of clothes and changed into a new set of school robes. As I walked in I could see each of the Weasleys and Neville whispering to the prefects and other senior members of the house. The room grew quiet as people noticed me. I could hear murmurs of "cheater," "liar," "backstabber," "freak," and a number of expletives about my lack of value as a human being. The room suddenly grew quiet. The seventh-year male prefect turned to me and stated "Potter you have brought great dishonor to the house of Gryffindor and you will be censured by the house. We had voted unanimously to kick you out of the house but for some unforeseen reason magic won't ratify our house's decision."

I laughed until I had tears in my eyes and my side hurt.

I turned to the twenty-foot-tall painting of Godric Gryffindor and asked "Grandad can you believe what these weasels, jackals, and hyenas were thinking? Trying to kick me out of the house I inherited from you while simultaneously completely innocent of the charges. They even failed to follow the procedures required to censure someone whom they thought was a peasant."

To the astonishment of the others in the room, he was a magical portrait that had never moved nor spoken in known history. He replied, "They are a disgrace to the House of Gryffindor. They lack courage, nobility, and chivalry. By not letting you present a defense before a vote, they show their character flaws: cowardice being the best compliment that I would give them. At the very least, my grandson, you should command the hat to resort them all next year. Also, make a magical vow and then bind them with a house secret silencing spell."

Solemnly, I stated, "I, the Heir Apparent of Gryffindor, swear on my magic that I did not enter myself into the Goblet of Fire. Neither did I ask, petition, force, or compel anyone else to enter me into the competition. Additionally, I would prefer not to participate if I could avoid it. So mote it be." I then turned a with a look of loathing that I flashed at Ron. I cast, "Expecto Patronum!" Out popped Prongs looking for danger. After a quick glance around the room, he turned towards me and nuzzled against my hand until I would pet him. After a moment, he dissolved. I commanded, "As Heir Gryffindor, you may not communicate any of the proceedings that occurred after my laughing stint with anyone, upon penalty of the loss of your magic. Until after I revealed this treachery to the press. So mote it be!" A golden gag appeared across every mouth in the room for seven seconds.

After the shock went away, I stated, "Since my roommates, Longbottom, Weasel, Thomas, and Finnegan made it clear I was unwanted. I am going to stay in Grandad's personal quarters." I walked towards Godric's painting and just as I was about to bounce off of the wall, I disappeared through it, similar to how one enters onto platform nine and three-quarters.

*****Harry's Memory of the 1st Task of the Triwizard Tournament November 1994*****

I had known about the dragons being brought to Hogwarts for the Tournament before I had even been selected as a participant. One morning in early November, I had heard them while I was out for a run. I had gathered my cloak and taken a look at the four types of dragons so that I could plan for the best scenario for each species. I had thought about letting the others know but I didn't like Fleur and Cedric. I would have mentioned it to Krum but in the Library I noticed him reading up on these four specific dragons.

As I walked into the tent confident with five different plans, I noted that Krum and Delacour were also aware of the task while Cedric nervous pacing implied that he had no idea. I took a seat on my side of the tent and sat in a lotus position to meditate until the Gladiatorial event started. After the order and combatants were assigned, I returned to my meditation I was the last one and with my luck selected the excessively cuddly Hungarian Horntail.

My tranquility was rippled when Cedric jumped off his chair, flexed his muscles, put his hands through his hair, and while approaching Ms. Delacour said in a voice that became quieter closer he got to her, "Fleur, En …."

I couldn't hear the rest of what he had to say but Ms. Delacour sure did. First, her posture denoted tension and rising anger, then her irises were no longer cobalt, they were glowing with flames as I looked down at her hands there was a small ball of fire quickly growing. Before she could kill him, I shot off a frigidae glaciei eructo at his back dousing him in ice water and as he turned an overpowered stinging hex hit him in the in the nose and the bullocks, followed by a stunner. Lastly, I banished him to the corner and hit him with a sexdecim ligatum that Dad's Journal said would hog tie the deserving party.

"Potter, I could have handled ce gros cochon Anglais." She shouted at me.

"Perhaps, but you more likely would have killed him and ended up kissing a dementor before the end of the day. Besides if he doesn't become the Swedish Short-Snout food, you can formally challenge him to an honor duel and kill him at that time with impunity." I replied. The room was quiet after that.

When it was Cedric's turn to compete, I obliviated his memory of time after Fleur had slapped him. I placed a glamor over his bruised face and black eyes and untied him and levitated him out of the tent while he was still out of it. As he entered the arena he appeared to have tripped while walking out of the tent. Unfortunately, the misogynist didn't die but he had third-degree burns on half of his body and his face was disfigured by dragon fire.

When it was my turn, with confidence I entered the arena with my wand in hand ready to do business. I turned to Dumbledore and with amplified voice shouted, "Ave, Imperator, morituri te salutant." I doubt he appreciated my joke but at least the intelligent Slytherins and Ravenclaws laughed. As my dragon was approaching

I then cast Slytherin's translation spell so that everyone could hear our conversation in English. I tried speaking with her in Parseltongue, "Salutations, mighty dragon. I come to barter."

Her reply, "Prepare to be consumed meat bag."

I disillusioned myself as well as cast a scent masking and silencing charm around me. Soon, six large South Devins transfigured from rocks were wondering around the arena and then a pack of egg snatching wolves appeared from the entrance. The dragon took the bait but she was faster than I had imagined and so I was not quite to the nest when she returned with her snacks in tow. I backed off and summoned my Firebolt. As it was about to enter the arena the Hufflepuff Harpies "accidentally" burnt it to a crisp.

I attempted to negotiate one more time with the Dragon, "In your nest, there is a false egg. Please toss it out of your nest so that I might leave you and your young alone. In fact, I will arrange for ten cows to be delivered to you tomorrow morning in exchange for the egg."

Her caustic reply, "Do your worst, worm."

She stretched out her wings and stood on her hind legs to demonstrate her impressive form. My reply came as two cutting curses ripped giant slices through the thin flesh in her wings effectively grounding her. The ground liquefied under her feet, the quick sand sucking and pulling on her limbs as she sunk up to her mid-body.

I asked, "Do you yield?"

Her fiery reply, "I will kill every last one of you when I escape!"

She sprayed fire around a third of the arena that her mobility allowed. The heat started to make the runic barriers flicker. All the vegetation in the arena was gone in fact rocks started to melt. I jumped on her back and summoned Godric's sword and plunged it into her vertebrae severing her spinal column as the point that her hind legs and tail became useless. As basilisk poison started to course through her veins she became frantic her threats escalated becoming more vulgar and inflammatory. As I ran up her back towards her skull the barrier collapsed. She took a deep breath to send out the worst of her flames and just before her lungs had filled I put the sword through the gap between her skull and her first vertebrae severing the brain stem causing instant death.

I jumped off, banished the sword to its hiding spot, collected my golden egg, and walked off into the medical tent to be reviewed by Madam Pomfrey.

*****Present Day*****

I continued, "As you can see from these examples, Amelia and Susan Bones have actively failed to fulfill their duties as alliance members. Susan has tried to cause excessive bodily harm if not death on multiple occasions. I call our alliance void. In fact, their actions against me declare them as actual blood traitors and oath breakers for abandoning a thirty-generation alliance without cause. As such loans from my families to theirs are due in thirty days. The marriage contract between the Potters and Bones is severed with due cause." At that moment, the contract I was holding burst into flames.

"In a moment, I will tell you about the consequences to the Longbottoms and the vassals to House Potter and to the traitorous vassals to House Black."

 **Author's note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Revised on 7/29/17 mostly grammatical changes.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to J K Rowling for creating a wonderful world where our imagination can play.**

 **Author's Note: Due to some poignant feedback about the scene with Fleur and Cedric, I decided to rewrite away from it being an absolute that Cedric was a sexual predator whose attempted conquest is stopped by Harry. Rather, Cedric starts off with saying something Harry cannot hear possibly one of the worst French pickup lines and then says a few more things that were offensive enough for Fleur to be ready to immolate him. You can decide if Cedric is perving, took trash talking too far, is still a predator, a misogynist arse, etc. Whatever your imagination comes up with we can all agree to disrespect others is wrong and Cedric is literally playing with fire when he is disrespecting a dangerous someone that can throw fire when enraged.**

 **In the new version, Harry saves both Cedric from being killed and Fleur from committing manslaughter and ending up with an intimate encounter with a dementor.**

 **Sorry for the delay in posting. I spend a good portion of the month in Alaska without access to my laptop nor my desktop. Hopefully, the next chapter will be out in two weeks or so, perhaps less.**

 **Thanks for the reviews and hope you enjoy.**

Vivre et Laisser Mourir

Chapter 3

"Actually, before we jump into the topic of traitors, Vassals, and Longbottoms, I thought I should share some other memories from the past year."

*****Harry's Memory of Christmas Ball December 1994*****

"Daphne, I have to go to this bloody Ball and I only want to spend the evening with you," I mumbled.

"Harry, I want that more than anything as well. Maybe we can sneak away to the come and go room and I'll teach you how to dance and you can make it up to me once I come back to school after New Years," came her reply.

"Any suggestions on who I should ask?"

"How about taking one of the other 5 girls that you are betrothed to." She teased.

"Bones and Abbott are horrid, beastly girls. Besides I'd only ask one of them if Draco was the only alternative. Weaslette is an illegal contract that is already been handled and notification is set to go out to the Weasels and Dumbledore the day we leave for America. Auror Dora Tonks wouldn't be bad if she wasn't on Dumbledore's team. Her contract can be postponed indefinitely as I am Lord Black rather than just Heir Black. Tracy is in the same boat as you and can't be seen with me until after she leaves Hogwarts." I replied.

"Have you noticed Fleur watching you. It has changed from a look of indifference to hatred to contempt to longing. I think she can see through your glamor or at least sense what is behind it. She might be a fun person to hang out with. She performed rather impressively against her Dragon. Besides she would make cute Potter babies with you." Her playful banter earned her a tickle war.

Fleur indeed was interested in going with me and apologized for her prior poor behavior. As she was sincere, I promptly forgave her and we made arrangements for me to pick her up at the entrance of her dorm the night of the dance.

Had Daphne been at the Ball, Fleur would have been the second loveliest young woman there. Her gown was majestic. As I met her at the entrance of the carriage, I kissed the back of her hand as the proper salutations dictated. Also, she loved the mixed bunch of lilies and irises that I brought her. We looked pretty good together despite the glamor making me appear to be a 5'5" and scrawny. We had good conversation and if I had to have a Lady Potter she would excel at it. At the end of the evening, we exchanged kisses on respective cheeks and made the front page of the news.

The other take away from the evening was that Ron and Hermione were barely friends now and that he had a childish crush on her. I caught Hermione looking at me with awe and borderline tears of regret for pushing me away. If I hadn't known she was on Dumbledore's payroll to spy on me I might have forgiven her.

Lastly, I noticed that Cho had dumped Cedric now that his face had dragon burn scars on almost half of his face. The damage was between that of the fictional DC Comic Character Two-face and Thranduil from the Hobbit. He had ended up taking Luna Lovegood one of his neighbors from the Devon town of Ottery St. Catchpole. She was a safe but eccentric choice but at the same time, he was sending a message to Ravenclaws that he would not allow for his quasi-kid sister to be bullied any longer. Also, he apologized to Fleur and me for his behavior. From helping Uncle Vernon with Alcoholics Anonymous it really seemed like Cedric was going through with the Eighth step: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

*****Harry's Memory of the 2nd Task of the Triwizard Tournament February 1995*****

After the first task, I had figured out my egg with my future sister-in-law, Astoria, recognizing that the screeching sound was bloody mermaid singing above the water. When I realized that if anyone discovered my relationship with Daphne, she might end up at the bottom of the Black Lake in February. Heads would roll if she was hurt in any way.

With my luck, Dumbledore picked the Weaslette as my hostage. I was tempted to leave her there but my competitive drive wouldn't allow that. I hurry and stripped off my robes showing off a hooded wetsuit made from basilisk skin. I had a knife strapped to each calf, a knife on each side of my waist and a set strapped to my left wrist and my wand holster on the right wrist. I had some gillyweed that I had Dobby find in an apothecary on the Mediterranean. I offered some to Fleur but she felt that her bubblehead charm and one-piece swimming suit would be sufficient. I tossed a warming charm at her as she started to shiver. I mean it was a balmy four degrees Celsius. Practically shorts weather for a yetti.

As the cannon shot indicated the start I jumped in and started off to the village. Only Krum's partial transfiguration had a possibility to keep up with me in the water. I was attacked by grindylows a couple times but I left the first set stunned, the second set with knife wounds, the third set with burns from boiling water that I streamed out of my wand towards them, and the last set was left burning from conjured Greek fire mixed with white phosphorus.

As I approached the village I found that Fleur's sister had awoken early and was about to drown. I shoved some gillyweed in her mouth so that she could breathe for at least an hour. I saw the remaining hostages were the Weaslet, the Spy, and Luna. I asked Moaning Myrtle to check on the status of the other contestants and it looked like Fleur was injured and in poor form and had to be pulled from the water before she bleed out. Cedric had a panic attack after the giant squid bumped into him, I doubt he knew that it was an herbivore. Salt water giant squids are more dangerous than orcas and great whites and so being unaware of this fact most people would think that he or she was moments from death. Krum's shark brain was confused as was swimming around hunting for fish.

I cut the bonds on Weaslet, Luna, and Granger and cast a spell on them to rapidly ascend to the surface. The mermen were against me taking the small veela to the surface but with a quick flash of my magical aura and a sinister spiel in Parseltongue they got the memo and took a couple strokes away from me. I gather Fleur's sister on my back and we slowly took our time up to the surface to avoid getting the bends. As we reached the surface I conjured a small boat for the other girls to climb into and used the locomotor charm to pull them along to shore.

As I came to shore, the girls in the boat jumped out and got warm blankets placed on them to wait for the rest to come back. I gave Gabriel and I the antidote for the gillyweed and I carried her bridal style over to her parents as I cast a drying and warming charm on her. Her parents were visibly worried about their daughters. Shocked with a happy surprise appeared on their face as I strode over to them. I handed them over and Gabby gave me a kiss on the cheek and jabbered at me in French. I caught every other word. It sounded like I was her new hero and she wanted to marry me when she grew up.

I begged my leave and went to check on Fleur and Cedric. I scanned the crowd for Daphne and Tracy and sent them a wink as I went to check on my new friends. Fleur barely survived her fight with the grindylows. She had bite marks all over her arms, legs, and back. She lost too much blood to solve it with just blood replenishing potion and I offered some blood for a transfusion. Madam Pomfrey was glad for the assistance as few magicals would offer blood to help another. She would be fine in a few days. Cedric needed a calming draught and to spend regular time with a mind healer. I'm not a psychologist but I wouldn't be surprised if he was suffering from PTSD.

*****Back to the Present*****

After a large glass of glass of water and wiping a couple tears from the side of my eyes, I was ready to continue speaking, "Contractual marriages are an interesting thing especially with the House of Black. Did you know that by voluntarily entering into the servitude of the son or daughter of a no-maj or muggle that act breaches that serious marital contract. As a result of the Malfoy and Lestrange boys becoming the cattle of the son of one nomaj aristocrat, Tom Riddle Sr, they broke their respective contracts back in the late 1970's and owe back the dowries plus interest.

This morning, the Lestrange fortune was seized and determined to have a shortfall of almost four Million galleons. If any of the Lestranges ever leave Azkaban, they will enter a Gringotts mine until their twelfth-generation grandchildren finish paying back those funds. Lucius Malfoy is a bit luckier as only a quarter of his fortune was seized because of that darling tattoo he elected to get in 1978.

One would think that when you owe money to an infamous family like the Blacks, the Peverells, or the Slytherins that failing to be prompt with repayments would be something you would want to avoid, especially noting how they are willing to treat an oath breaking in-law. A brilliant American no-maj earlier this century said that 'Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it earns it...he who doesn't...pays it.' A corollary should be added that only a bloody fool would allow a debt to grow by not making more than the minimum payment.

After my brief trip to a cemetery in June, I was pleased to note that the Carrows, Dolohovs, Rookwoods, Averys, Crouchs, Malfoys, Crabbes, Rosiers, Goyles, Jugsons, Mulcibers, Notts, Selwyns, Travers, Rowles, Macnairs, and Yaxleys have non-performing loans with interest rates so high that it should be illegal. The value of what was owed has had dramatic growth. Not a single payment has been made since the last Lord Black, Arcturus Black, passed away in 1983. I recently sold loans of the above mentioned to Gringotts collection department. My Financial Advisor and fellow warrior, Throatslasher, was giddy when I talked to him about the idea. His smile was intense and I'm glad that I am not in default with him.

You may ask how am I, Harry Potter, the Lord Black? It is complicated. If Arcturus hadn't lost his will to live when his wife died in the September 1981 Diagon Alley Massacre, I'm sure he would have shown Malfoy how a real Slytherin handles a rival. Instead, Arcturus knew that Lucius Malfoy was trying to have him killed so his will had a stipulation that the Goblins were to build a case to politically and financially destroy all of the death eaters once I was of age and if he died from anything other than old age, they would actively help me starting at age 12. He was able to make me Lord Black because his older sister is my Paternal Grandmother, Dorea Potter nèe Black.

Secondly, the reason that I was chosen over my Godfather, Sirius Black, is that the physiological and psychological damage to his body in Azkaban after just one year precludes him from being accepted by the family magic. He spent 12 years there because of Fudge, Dumbledore, Crouch, and Bagnold. He needs multiple years of healing to be back on his feet. On a quick side note, her Majesty the Queen has been recently informed that the Magical Government was in breach of the Magna Carta from at least 1981 until 1993 while Baron Black was illegally incarcerated without trial. Also, she is not likely to be amused that both her magical and non-magical governments have caused Baron Potter to renounce his British citizenship. Yes, many generations ago a few of my Great-Grandfathers were members of the round table of King Arthur and post-Merlin served as the King or Queen's wizard.

Third, Sirius is a Dumbledore sycophant. It is hard to tell if Sirius is a butt-kisser or a brown-noser but I guess the difference is simply relative to observed depth perception. Even knowing that Dumbledore left him in Azkaban without a trial for twelve years, knowing that Dumbledore secured a trial for Bellatrix Lestrange and a pardon for Severus Snape, and knowing that Dumbledore cast the Fidelius Charm that made Peter Pettigrew the only secret keeper and reported on Black's guilt. Truly, with the exception of Andromeda Tonks her generation of Blacks are highly obsequious to both of Britain's current Dark Lords.

Lastly, my mother wasn't really a first-generation witch but rather she was the Heiress of Slytherin but she was unaware of this until after I was born. Apparently, parselmouths can communicate starting at two months of age. When Arcturus heard of this from my Paternal Grandmother he made me the Black heir immediately.

Now the Slytherin family has historically had one magical enemy, the Gaunts. When the Gaunts tried to kill off the rest of the family, Salazar used his substantial cunning to hide his true family away from the magical world for 47 generations. Remember prime numbers in Arithmancy are potent. A seer recommended this number versus other options based on the numerology surrounding something unnatural a member of the Gaunt family would do this century. Luckily, all seven of his Phylacteries have been destroyed and he can't make anymore so _flying away from death_ is no longer a viable option.

As I have mentioned the Gaunt family has one living member that owes the Slytherin family 116 Million galleons. The Gaunts claim to be the heirs of Slytherin but in all truth, the first Gaunt is the bastard son of Salazar's non-blood adopted grandson. That loan was also sold to the Goblins and they will be around to collect if payment is not received in full within 90 days. I bet Tom wishes he had that sorcerer's stone right about now. Perhaps a raid on the Bank of England is in his future.

The Gringott collectors love their work so much that they whistle a little tune as they skip to work each day. I'd rather swim with a battalion of grindylows than be on their shit list. From what I hear only the Malfoy's will be able to avoid eternal servitude in Gringott mines and dragon pens. Speaking of the Malfoys, I know you are 82% poorer today than yesterday but there are a fourteen-year-old ginger and a pair of 15-year-old Hufflepuffs that each owes me double life debts. I'd rather sell than deal with them. In fact, I'll sell all three of them to you for whatever change Draco has bookbag or his right front pocket. If it happens to be only one bronze Knut and some lint you have got yourself some new servants to replace Dobby that I took from you two years ago and all twenty of the Black family's elves that you are no longer allowed to borrow. Payment and delivery can be arranged at Gringotts.

Madam Bones as you may have guessed I am calling in the life debts and offering Susan to the Malfoys for one-third of a bronze Knut. I don't care why she has been terrible to me for the past three years or why she has tried to maim and/or kill me more times than He- Who-Has-No-Nose but I did due diligence, having her examined and found free of potions and the imperius curse. As an oath breaker, best of luck with your employment options.

Mr. and Mrs. Abbott your family has been vassals for generations but the last decade has changed things. With failures to make proper payments, failure to maintain your land and dwelling up to standards and failing to raise a proper prospective Lady Peverell, I must cancel the contracts and ask you to move. Again, Hannah will make a great maid for the Malfoys." I held up her marriage contract and that also disintegrated and then dissipated into ashes.

"Mr. and Mrs. Diggory, I'm sorry for your loss. The Cedric that emerged after his first task recovery was a much-improved person. His new humility and drive for self-improvement were astonishing. I know Ms. Delacour came to forgive him and they might have become good friends. I have met you twice in person and Mr. Diggory cheered for Fudge and voted against his Baron. Your land is forfeit but I will give you until the end of Q3 to move.

Actually, all of the Magicals in Devonshire have until the end of Q3 to move out of tenant land. I have recently made a land swap agreement with the Duke of Cornwall, Prince Charles, that is highly advantageous to both of us, but not so advantageous for those county residents.

The rest of you that are in arrears to my families, I would suggest that you make payment arrangements with Gringotts before you are placed on their collections list.

I was surprised to see that the only performing loan to the Potters is being paid by the Longbottom's. As you have seen from the memories that the Longbottom's no longer value an alliance with my family but at least they still have the integrity to make their payments on time, even when there was not a Lord Potter around to reconcile the monthly accounts receivables. I release you from the alliance and almost wish you well.

As a side note, there was a prophecy given the June before Heir Longbottom and I were born. It states:

' _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ..._

 _Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ..._

 _And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ..._

 _And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ..._

 _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…'_

Best of luck with that Heir Longbottom, because of Fudge's unbreakable vow you are now Britain's Chosen One.

Daphne and I will be happy to answer a few questions from the press for the next twenty minutes."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to J K Rowling for creating a wonderful world where our imagination can play.**

Vivre et Laisser Mourir

Chapter 4

The Press conference had started at 6:30 in the morning to try to mitigate interference with MACUSA operations. It was presently 8:30 (1:30 PM back in London) and Harry was starting to be uncomfortably hungry. Oh well he thought this will soon be over and we can live our lives in substantially more peace after this.

Harry and Daphne, projecting more confidence than a pair of fifteen-year-olds should, started taking the first of many questions.

"Good morning, John from Magical Sports Illustrated, Lord Potter will you be playing quidditch here in America?"

"Truly, hadn't thought about it. I haven't flown since my broom was destroyed last November by some of Malfoy's future domestics. I love the game and even more so the feel of flying. Our new school, whose name will remain undisclosed at this time, has some great teams so hopefully I will be permitted to try out for one of the teams."

"Follow up question if I may," asked John. "Lord Potter you have grown significantly over the past year, can you tell us your secret?"

Harry replied, "I was drastically damaged and malnourished because of the Dursleys, Dumbledore, and Madam Pomphrey. To keep it in perspective, I was the second shortest person in the school at the start of my second year (the shortest being my half-goblin Charms Professor). I went through an Egyptian cleansing ritual at Gringotts before my third year and paid a substantial amount for an enchanted glamor to maintain the pre-intervention appearance of my forecasted growth pattern. For the past two years, I have been on a carefully constructed wellness plan that includes six nutrient dense meals each day and I have been training my body to be fit enough to be a no-maj triathlete and a boxer. Incidentally, the first year of the plan included magical steroids and human growth hormones to try and help me to get back on track to obtain the stature that both of my Grandfathers had at just over 1.88 meters. Grandpa Potter was broad and imposing to many people, while Grandfather Evans was a retired Royal Marine Commando. Without, this intervention I would have been blessed to make it to 1.6 Meters."

"Hi, I'm Nancy from Witches Weekly. My readers and I would like to know how you became friends and got engaged?"

Daphne replied, "I think I had a crush on him since I saw him at Diagon Alley before the first year. Even though his outfit was atrocious his eyes were stunning and he was so kind and respectful to those around him. He was quite juxtaposed to the arrogant pureblood heirs that I had known growing up. I didn't see him again until the sorting when I learned his name. By the time I had worked up the nerve to talk to and befriend Harry during our first year; Granger and Weasel, on orders from Dumbledore, never permitted anyone to be around him other than at quidditch practice. During our second year, after the first quidditch game where Harry's radius and ulna were removed by that fraud Lockhart, I exaggerated some cramps and flu-like symptoms in order to be in the Hospital wing that night. We had a small chat that evening and I primed the pump for Harry to accept that not all Slytherins are Junior Death Eaters.

After he was outed as a parselmouth to the school, even Granger and Weasel limited their time around him. Every time Harry was in the Hospital after being attacked by Bones, Abbott, the other Gryffindors or the other Hufflepuffs, I found an opening to spend more time with him. We had to keep our friendship a secret but we grew closer. When Granger was attacked in March, we spent even more time together and I taught him about being a Potter and talked to him about British Wizarding culture, proper attire, and how betrothal contracts work in amongst the wealthy Magicals of the world. I explained that despite my family's fortune, I was granted a window of time until the start of the fourth year to find a potential fiancé before my parents would arrange things. As I don't have any brothers or male cousins, the future Lord Greengrass will be my husband and then a future son will carry on the name. I had grown up preparing to be the second wife of a snobby pureblood like Theodore Nott or heaven forbid Draco Malfoy. Although, Harry was almost broken by abuse and neglect, he still overflows with empathy for others, to me his magic feels like a warm blanket, and his hopes and dreams for my success in the life that I choose makes me feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world.

After his experience in the Chamber of Secrets, I suggested a visit to Gringotts and contracting help from their healers. It has been a slow healing process. I am proud of his hard work.

After he discovered his full heritage and other betrothals, I felt like he was going to shrink away from the challenge:

Harry Potter was to solely marry Ginevra Weasley,

Lord Potter was supposed to marry Susan Bones,

Lord Peverell was to marry Hannah Abbott,

Lord Black was to marry his third cousin, Nymphadora Tonks,

Lord Slytherin is to marry my best friend, Tracey Davis, by age 21 and

Heir Gryffindor is to marry for love to a first-generation witch before age 25.

He surprised me as he smiled and said, 'Dumbledore and the Weasels made a huge mistake on designating with such specificity who is to marry Ginny as legally at the time of the contract I was Hadrian James Potter. Additionally, Dumbledore has never legally been my guardian in fact he isn't even on the list of alternatives. I am going to get out of each and every contract that you and I do not approve of.'

The last part of this story was when he negotiated the betrothal with my Father last summer. Although binding for Harry, the betrothal agreement sets the standard for contracts that are beneficial to the witch. He wanted an equal and I hope that I can rise to the challenge. We won't be getting married until at least age 20 and children will be a time after that."

"Nancy again. What do you have to do to become Lord Gryffindor rather than just the Heir?"

Harry smiles and said, "I have to kill a total of five different XXXXX class or higher creatures in single combat but I can't go looking for a fight with said creature. So far, a basilisk, a number of dementors, a Hungarian Horntail dragon, and a fully grown acromantula are checked off of the list. Hopefully, I never have to fight the fifth type, but my luck I will find the next one before the end of the week."

"Lord Potter, Dante from the Magical Times, how did you discover some of the plots against you like Undersecretary Umbridge sending the dementors, the portkey destination from Minister Fudge not being to MACUSA in New York, that Weasley family had sinister plans for you?"

Harry chuckled for a moment and stroked his chin on how much to disclose before he replied, "There are better ways to spy on private conversations than being an illegal beetle animagus like Rita Skeeter. After I saw Fudge take Hagrid to prison over two years ago I knew I shouldn't have any confidence in what he says as he wants to be seen doing something rather than taking a moment to investigate, recognize the problem, and work on proper solutions.

The following year, I realized he was a tool when he refused to hear me explain that Sirius was innocent. After his reaction to the news of my kidnapping, Cedric's murder, Pettigrew being alive, Tom getting a new body, and seeing a bunch of Death Eaters, I knew I needed a small band of loyal spies to network across Britain. Luckily, all of them are highly adept at invisibility spells. As far as the Weasels, it was a combination of what Tom said in the Chamber of Secrets, the fake betrothal agreement and the abusive terms of said contract, the fair-weathered nature of the friendship with the twins and moRon, the tainted food from Weaslette and Steamroller Molly, and a few conversations that were overheard by myself and my spies. I could show you the memories and a few pictures, but I will leave them to karma and the upcoming British civil war."

"Lord Potter, Bernard from UK Ambassador office, can you explain your complaints against Her Majesty's Government?"

Harry looked at him with contempt and decided to give him a thorough answer, "Ambassador, as a former nobleman and last of my house the queen signed off on where I was raised. I reported the Dursleys for torture, abuse, and neglect to the local constables in Surrey over 20 times. I told three of my school teachers and two headmasters. I have reported the Dursleys to Scotland Yard in London at least ten times. I wrote separately to Her Majesty, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana annually for the past 9 years requesting assistance through the Royal Mail. The last three attempts using Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed. Also, I have written to both Margaret Thatcher and John Major of my plight. All that ever did was earn me an additional beating.

One instance stands out, I had to be taken to the local hospital after the attempted exorcism, horse whipping, cutting, and branding with a crucifix, I had a dozen major broken bones that night, I had to have a transfusion of three liters of blood and 105 stitches. My heart had to be restarted twice that night. I hoped that when I told the hospital staff what happened and who had done it something might change. Lamentably, it all got swept under the rug.

The only reason that I didn't die from the escalating abuse was that I heard of the Alcoholics Anonymous program and I tricked my Uncle into joining mentioning that it was good for business networking and for his health. The neglect continued but the abuse tapered off with his recovery. Next question. "

"Miss Greengrass, Nancy from Witches Weekly again. I was wondering if you would comment on the relationships with Tracy Davis, Fleur Delacour and any other girls in your lives?"

"Tracy is still my best friend and she left England the day after school got out and will be joining us at our new school. She and Harry have not gone on a date yet but they have become friends," replied Daphne.

Harry interceded, "Tracy and I are good friends. I am lucky to have her in my life. Fleur and I found that a relationship would not work between us, but I wish her well in life." Oh, there was so much more that he could say on the matter about how things were amazing until the week after the graveyard when he told her about his future plans. Fleur had slapped him and called him a narcissist and a coward. She berated him for not protecting the innocents in England and for planning to run away. He remembered being so angry with her that he froze her to her chair so that she would have to hear his history. He went into the gory details of how he was raised, the plots on the light for his future demise, and he stripped down to his boxers so she could see what the scars on his chest, back, and legs looked like before treatment. He then explained the two years of pain, suffering, dedication and hard work that gave him his glamor free body. She was ashamed of her words and actions and was in tears as he explained his life. He unfroze her and told her to piss off. That was the last time he acknowledged her existence. The only good to come of that experience was he changed a couple plans to help the innocents of the England. That night Tracy and Daphne found him in the room of requirements destroying statues and mirrors until magical exhaustion set in. Once he stopped he told them about what happened with Fleur and they held him as he cried himself to sleep.

Daphne was pleased that Harry gave such a well-spun answer. Her lessons were paying off. She answered the last part, "There is no one else that we are looking at these days, but there is plenty of time to worry about that at a later time."

"Hi James from the Financial Times, how do you feel that your business partners and holdings will be affected by today's events?"

Harry jumped at the chance to talk about this answer, "I have been preparing for a day like this over the past two years. I thought I might have another year or so to divest the rest of my English holdings but real estate moves slowly there in the English Magical market. Luckily, I was able to get decent prices on my equity interests so that now my only English Partners are the Greengrass family.

I took a six percent loss on the net present value of the loans that I sold to the Goblins but I felt it was worth it. A few of my new properties are going to be razed and sold off to muggle developers. I have infused money in the foreign expansion of Greengrass Holdings. I feel like there is going to be some great opportunities now in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia that will extend into the next thirty plus years."

"James again as a follow-up, I heard a rumor of some major cash donations to the American, French, and Scandinavian Ministries to bolster their Auror programs and re-establish their refugee programs."

Daphne took care of this one, "I'm not sure there was a question listed there, but Harry has realized some hefty capital gains and proper tax planning involves strategic donations."

Harry interjected, "There were a number of charities throughout the world that have been recent beneficiaries I can't speak to all of them at this time. Next question please."

"I'm Pierre with Le Monde Magique, can you tell us about the seven phylacteries and the events of the third task?"

Harry looked at Daphne asked, "would you like to take the first part?"

She shook her head and replied, "No this is almost taboo."

Harry shrugged and continued, "In the muggle game of Dungeons and Dragons or fantasy fiction like the Lord of the Rings there are items that must be destroyed prior to killing the villain. Ancient Egyptian necromancers actually found a way to make such items. Tom Riddle not satisfied with just one item made six intentionally, and a seventh accidentally. I destroyed the diary and the accidental soul jar, his first and last, in the Chamber of Secrets. I hired a team of mercenaries to find the rest of them. The other items were the Peverell Family ring, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's Chalice, Ravenclaw's Diadem, his snake familiar. In June, an overpowered bisecting charm cut the last one, his snake, in half as I left the cemetery in June.

A week before the last task, we, the four champions, met outside of the maze with Ludo Bagman to get the instructions. A frazzled and ragged Barty Crouch Sr stumbled out of the Forbidden Forest asking to speak with Dumbledore and repeating that it was his fault. Fleur and I ran up to the castle to get help. As we came back down the hill all we found were Bagman, Cedric, and Krum knocked out cold and no trace of Crouch.

Fast forward a week to the start of the task, I was pissed that the Judges banned us from bringing anything other than the assigned outfits and our wands to the task. Thus, no knives, no armor, no potions, no portkeys, no first aid kits, and no cloak. The headmasters of Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons claimed that it gave unfair advantages to me as demonstrated by my excessively higher score in the second task. Dumbledore claimed that it was dark to wear a dark creature hide armor and he wouldn't allow it as the Chief Warlock. If I hadn't needed to keep many things secret I would have challenged them at the Wizengamot and ICW.

As I was ahead in points I had a four-minute head start. Next Cedric started followed by Krum three minutes later, lastly Fleur started five minutes after that. It felt like I had been in the maze for an hour before I found one of Hagrid's bloody blast-ended skrewts. Oh, my hell that thing was huge. Luckily, the legs joints are weak spots and a piercing hex went straight through its mouth. A few minutes later I heard a scream that sounded like Fleur. I burnt a hole through the wall to get there faster. As I approached her I fought that Krum was holding the cruciatus curse on her. I sent a blasting curse at the shoulder of his wand arm and it threw him a few feet. A follow up incarcerous hit him before he fell back to the ground. I went over to check on Fleur and she had passed out from the pain. I sent up red sparks so that they could be retrieved before something else in the maze could attack them.

I found a sphinx that required the answer to two riddles. First, what is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening? Second, you see a boat filled with people. You look again, but this time you don't see a single person on the boat. Why? Hint: The boat has not sunk. I answered them like a Ravenclaw and passed on. In the middle of a lengthy straightaway was the Triwizard Cup. At the other end, I saw Cedric taking a run at it as well. I knew it would be close so I sprinted the forty-five meters. Truthfully, I should have been paying attention and about five meters from the Cup, a full sized Acromantula jumped down on me, tackling me to the ground. I pushed away and he bit my leg putting in some venom to paralyze me. In my anger, I used the Greek fire spell and banished him away. It took a moment to stand up and continue to the Cup. Cedric had made up most of the difference and was gaining as I hobbled over to the cup. I used my wand to propel myself like a horizontal rocket towards the cup just as he was grabbing it and the Cup/ portkey latched onto us and we disappeared and soon landed on the ground in a cemetery.

With the poison in my veins, I was moving much slower than normal and it would be at least thirty minutes until my body would fix itself. Cedric was looking around and asked if I knew anyone named Tom Riddle. I yelled that we needed to leave right now. As I looked for the portkey, Cedric was hit with the killing curse by Peter Pettigrew. I shot off a piercing hex at him that he blocked but at the same time the ugly looking baby in his arms shot a stunner at me that connected.

I awake tied up to a tombstone and Wormtail was almost done with ritual to return Tom to a full-sized body. The last two components of the ritual included Wormtail dismembering his own hand into the cauldron and then him cutting my unarmored arm and stealing a few drops of blood.

After the reconstituted Dark Lord stepped out of the circle, he called his followers to him. Pops of apparation occurred over the next ninety seconds. A circle of followers wearing silver or white masks shrouded in black cloaks came into view. He went around and welcomed his Death Eaters. A few like Malfoy got a short cruciatus curse for not trying to find and help him sooner. He also gave Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle a jolt as well. An impatient Alecto Carrow asked, 'What is Harry Potter doing here?' As a word of advice, if you choose to work for a Dark Lord don't be a yakking twit. Tom's pale skin reddened in anger at being interrupted and cast blood boiling curse at her. She screamed and smoked until he cast the counter curse. He turned back to me and his other Death Eaters and gave a dialogue about how I survived our 1981 Samhain encounter.

He proposed that we duel to show off his prowess. As we circled he told him Death Eaters not to interfere and if any one of them did he or she would die a slow death after watching his or family slaughtered. He cast the imperius at me to make me bow and all he got back was a flick of the v's. In his anger, he threw out a cruciatus that barely missed me and hit a Death Eater in the dropping him to the ground and rupturing the optical nerve.

His third curse blasted me into the air and I was hit with a cruciatus until I landed behind a statue. He yelled that he wanted to kill me slowly and see the lights dim from my eyes. I could not see how to get out of this situation but I figured I could get lucky with an over powered cutting curse aimed at neck level. As my curse left my wand, he cast a killing curse that connected with my curse, the connection formed a cage around us and a battle of wills. I pressed more intent and power into it and slowly the connecting point between us moved closer to the tip of his wand. As that knot of power connected with Tom's wand, apparitions of his recent murders escaped from his wand. Cedric asked that his body be taking back and he apologized once again for being a git for much of the past four years, an older muggle gentleman told me to give Tom hell, that missing lady from the ministry appeared and apologized for all the trouble she caused, my mum appeared, and finally my dad appeared next to me. He told me to leave as soon as I could and that they would cause a distraction. Mum told me she loved me, that she approved of Daphne, and to use a spell called sectumsempra on the snake if I saw it. As I broke the connection I flicked a sectumsempra out at Tom's face and summoned the cup to me. The snake came around the corner and was lunging at me so I shot off another sectumsempra at the back of its throat. I heard Tom scream out in rage at the pain and gore sprayed out of the snake as I headed back to Hogwarts.

As I landed hard on the ground on top of Cedric, I almost lost consciousness. With my emotions frayed I burst out of my mouth that He is back! Voldemort is back!

Professor Moody pulled me to the side and told me he would take me back to the castle to get cleaned up and to be safe. The shock of seeing my parents, destroying the last soul jar, and escaping with my life had thrown me for a loop. I was emotionally overwhelmed and not paying attention until Moody locked the door to his office. He asked me about the Dark Lord coming back and how glorious it was, he asked who was there in the graveyard, He pushed me back in the seat and pointed his wand at me telling me how he would be his Lord's favorite after he killed me. He took his eye off of me for a second when there was no more liquid in his flask he grew worried and agitated. He missed as a palmed away a knife that was next to me on the table. As he walked over to his stores he found empty flask after empty flask. I threw the knife at his hand and it passed through his wand struck through his wand hand. As he pushed some magic into his wand the rest of it discharged and his hand exploded. He collapsed on the ground clutching his arm and the door blasted open with Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall rushed into the room to question Moody.

It turns out he was Barty Crouch Jr. that the real Moody had been in a trunk before the school year started Barty had arranged to put my name into the Tournament and made the Cup a portkey to the resurrection. The Minister ordered Barty's execution by dementor before any further questioning could occur. This missed information may have been invaluable to future DMLE war preparation. He called me a liar, threw a bag of gold coins at me, and went on his way."

"This concludes this press conference and interview. Daphne and I would like to thank the Leadership of MACUSA for allowing us to cause some congestion in their lobby. We would also thank all of you for being here today. We look forward to your newspaper articles and reports on the news." With that closing, Harry and Daphne walked down from the stage while shaking the hands of President Samuel Quahog and other local dignitaries. Harry pulled another portkey from his pocket and they disappeared to his safehouse in Vancouver, British Colombia. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to J K Rowling for creating a beautiful world where our imagination can play.**

 **Vivre et Laisser Mourir**

 **Chapter 5**

*****Flashback to the beginning of Harry's Trial*****

The self-proclaimed Greatest Light-Wizard since Merlin, Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, was in the lift descending to the Wizengamot Chambers in a lower level of the Ministry to make a dramatic last-minute entrance to the trial of his pawn and future kamikaze, Harry Potter. He had planned on saving Harry and further endearing the boy to the light. Dumbledore had a plan to cause doubt in Fudge's recent narrative by picking small holes in the authenticity of the Ministry propaganda. Of course, he could resolve the charges in seconds. Instead, he hoped to draw out the trial exhausting Harry's patience. If Harry had an emotional outburst in front of the Wizengamot causing enough of a faux pas; it would look like Harry was still too immature of an adolescent to be a Lord anytime in the next decade.

As he exited the doors of the lift with a couple of minutes to spare the scene in front of him fueled his anxiety. The Wizengamot doors were closing early and were then magically sealed while his chin dropped. After he scurried to the doors, the gray-haired centenarian with the flowing gray beard was yanking on the doors with all his might. Once he tired of this futile act, he cast some unsuccessful unlocking charms and then paced with clenched fists. Cursed be whoever had locked him out of the Wizengamot chamber. His nonexpendable chess piece, Harry Potter, was going to be eaten alive by Minister Fudge and Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge. With the way those two had tied their careers to the undermining of him and Harry over the return of Voldemort the past six weeks, it wasn't a stretch to see that this trial was a setup. He just wasn't sure if their endgame surpassed expulsion.

As Dumbledore waited, he focused on his recent victories. He was pleased that he had isolated Harry Potter this summer. It had been easy to get his only friends, Black, Weasley, and Granger, to not write to him. His spy, Hermione Granger, even took the initiative to kidnap Harry's familiar so Harry could not owl any of his other acquaintances and associates.

Breaking apart Harry's relationship with that French Veela had been as simple as a dose of the Elixir of Mistrust being placed in her morning tea daily for the last week she was in England. Sure, her family had connections in the upper-class of France but after the World Wars Dumbledore still didn't trust the French and he especially didn't trust beautiful women or creatures of near human intelligence. He wasn't aware of the details of the heated argument that led to the end of Harry and that half-breed's relationship but all that was important was directing Harry towards the warm controlling embrace of Ginny Weasley.

Those pesky marriage contracts with Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott were easy to hinder. He had told the Bones and Abbott families that Harry wanted them to deal through Harry's magical guardian(himself) and that Harry was too young to be interested in those girls at all right now. Susan and Hannah initially ignored Dumbledore and written him directly. They had written letters, cards, drawn pictures for him, and sent gifts multiple times per year since early childhood and never received neither a thank you nor even a reply.

The Mail Ward directed all of those to him, and as a reply, he pretended to be Harry and send all manner of gifts and letters to correspond with the Weasleys especially Ginny. In turn, she bragged in public that they were in contact with Harry and that he was so outgoing, respectful and kind to her. The girls were sad when they heard Ginny bragging. To agitate their emotions, Dumbledore let the girls and their families know that Harry would only consent to be around them when it was time for them to service Harry in Harry's future Harem.

He could hardly keep track of all the demeaning things that he had claimed Harry had supposedly said about those girls. He muttered, "What idiots!" Their blind trust and stupidity honestly surprised him. How could they believe that a ten-year-old Harry could have even fathom let alone construe such sexist ideas? So much for the best and brightest of the light side. Harry's befriending of Ron Weasley the next year had reinforced those ideas of Harry being two-faced lazy, entitled, and sexist in public and with his friends he was outgoing, respectful and kind. He chuckled at how Harry would just take their brutal retribution against him with not even a whimper. It was at times a chore to feed their hatred of Harry, but it would all push him closer to Ginny Weasley in the end. She would direct him to an early grave when Dumbledore determined that the time was right.

He had thought that controlling Black would take some effort, but that man was beyond broken. He needs years with a mind healer. All it had taken was intercepting the parcels of food that Harry was sending him from the school kitchens last fall and winter. His depression and alcoholism ran his life more thoroughly than it did Lupin. The mutt and the werewolf were loyal except when too inebriated to be useful.

Mid-term goals would be back on track with Harry reconciling with the other Weasleys and Granger this afternoon as he would take Harry to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. A compulsion charm here and there and Harry's independence would be tempered by his hardest year yet that would end with Harry Potter and Tom Riddle crossing wands at the ministry, the overthrow of Minister Fudge, and a wider swing into a higher approval rating than ever for Dumbledore. Of course, he would sweep in at the last minute and save the boy, but not until some loss had occurred softening up Harry once more. He would decide later which person close to Harry would die as a sacrifice for the greater good.

As Dumbledore lost himself in his schemes, the doors opened, and members of the Wizengamot headed to the atrium. Lord Nott walked by and whispered to Dumbledore, "you'll never believe what we got your protege to agree to do. The Dark Lord has you and the Light in check." Lord Nott left Dumbledore in shock. He entered the chamber to find that Fudge and Harry had already gone out another way. He was left scowling as he stomped ahead to try and catch the press conference.

Dumbfounded, he wondered why Harry would agree to leave England forever. He wondered what they had threatened to make him depart. Excessive things could have been binding of magic and obliviate him of the past four years, time in Azkaban, or an excessively substantial penalty.

The Potter Alliance members and the Potter Vassals were glad that he was about to be exiled from England. Although, they felt a twinge of shame for their actions; hatred and greed had overcome their concerns for their once and future Lord.

The moment in Harry's oath when he revealed that his Lordships included the Family names of Peverell, Slytherin, Potter, Black, and Gryffindor the crowd and listeners throughout the United Kingdom used and heard almost every form of blasphemy and expletives imaginable. It was clear that Harry wasn't the ignoramus they had assumed. Either he had known of his station and had given them the rope to hang themselves, or he had recently come into the knowledge, and after a review of the books, contracts, and agreements he would be out for at least a pound of figurative flesh, Merlin forbid a literal pound of flesh.

As Harry gave his oath, it shook Dumbledore with the realization that the boy had concocted an unexpected plan and that he had played the Wizengamot for the fools that he had always known that they were. The fallout by Harry's titles being in play was going to ruin most of his plans. When Harry told England that they belonged to Tom, Dumbledore suddenly felt his age and was afflicted by vertigo while Harry's portkey whisked him away. He knew he was about to get sick all over his beard, robes, and favorite socks.

After he centered himself, he ran up to the exit so he could go to Gringotts to get his hands on as much remaining Potter, Peverell, Slytherin, Black, and Gryffindor money as possible. He knew that Fudge would be along soon enough.

Fudge and Umbridge were smirking to themselves with the knowledge that that boy regardless of innocence or of how many families he headed, was now in Azkaban's high-security wing with no way of escape and no one besides them knew that he was there. Best of all the host of dementors were set to attack him and devour his soul once he arrived.

Furthermore, even more than the Potter money would soon be in their pockets as they were headed to the bank to seize those funds. Their goblin spy, Frontstabber, would only take twenty percent to work with them in emptying the vaults of anyone in Azkaban. Their spy would do the mandatory checks of the vaults today to make them inactive and then tomorrow their thefts could occur and not be discovered for many years to come.

At Gringotts, the Carrows, Crabbes, and Goyles were being arrested and being taken to the back office to begin their new lives. Lord Nott had noticed the commotion, and post haste dashed out the door. He slid under the mountain troll and roughly pushed through a group of women so he could reach the apparation point and get away. Nott tried to go to his manor, but he suddenly couldn't remember the location or the sites of the other death eater homes beside Malfoy Manor. He was smarter than most Death Eaters, and there was no way he was going to bring his Master this news. He headed to the Prancing Thestral in Knockturn Alley for a drink and to catch the next press conference to see how much revenge Arcturus Black had gotten through his successor Hadrian Potter Black.

Bill Weasley was having the strangest week. He was working overtime on the latest project. Regular vows were a part of the job at Gringotts, but this unbreakable vow stuff was intense. They had been making portable ward stones in huge quantity. He had been unsure of the purpose until last night. He had wished he could tell Dumbledore but just thinking of ways around his vow made him feel ill. They spent the night installing the stones around most of the Death Eater's properties with a timed activation of 11:15 this morning. This spectacular mission probably had to do with that bastard Potter who regularly caused issues for his family. Potter had almost gotten Ron killed three of the past four years. Ginny was attacked because of Potter and more importantly to Bill; Potter had ruined Bill's chances with the new girl, Fleur-the new HPOA-from France by making her so weepy and frail. All he knew was that she only wanted Potter and that didn't make sense why she would want such a short, skinny, poor dresser. He was more of a man than Potter would ever be and Potter was soon going to be his family's slave.

At 11:15, Bill watched at Dumbledore came into the lobby to present Harry Potter's vault key and to clean out the account. The goblins gave toothy smiles as they gave Dumbledore a small bag of coins. Simultaneously, an owl approached Bill, and he was handed a small bag with coins in it. With excessive curiosity, he stuck his hand inside, as he touched the first coin he was transported out of Gringotts and dropped into the pond next to his childhood home. He swam to the surface and found a Gringotts owl had left him a termination letter because they knew that he was aware of and had not reported of the major dishonesty of his parents and their conspiracy for usurpation through potions and for attempted line theft by a fraudulent marriage contract against a friend of the nation. A temporary memory charm broke, and he now remembered being questioned by the Curse-Breaker Director. He had revealed everything he knew about the plot, his part in it, and what other infractions against the Nation he had done during his employment.

His actions would have been a question of propriety had Harry only been a half-blooded orphan. The actions were a crime deserving a monetary penalty against a mid-level Lord, but against a Lord of a Most Ancient and Revered House and a Friend of the Nation, it was like asking for not only the death penalty but also to be brought back to life and then executed multiple times. The Weasleys were getting off with a slap on the wrist. He apparated to Sirius's house to tell his parents.

Dumbledore hadn't kept things in perspective. As he opened the bag to see only thirty silver coins and a melted key his face turned purple with flecks of red. He felt the start of a migraine coming on. In a momentary stupor, he failed to notice fully armed goblins had surrounded him. In his anger, he pulled out the Death Stick to teach these dirty things a lesson. As he started to cast his first spell in a long offensive chain, all he heard was laughter and the cluck of a rubber chicken in his wand hand. Things went dark for a moment, and then he found himself rolling down the steps outside of Gringotts.

A blocked memory from that morning was at the front of his mind. He had been knocked down by a young man that looked like Charlus Potter but with glowing killing curse green eyes. He thanked Dumbledore for keeping the family relic safe and for its return. The last thing he remembered was the words obliviate. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" was repeated over and over again.

He tried to call Fawkes, but nothing happened. His back up wand had snapped when he had fallen down the stairs. At least he had an emergency portkey to Hogwarts. He took a moment to stand and discovered two dozen aches and pains that weren't there the night before. He wanted to curse Harry and the goblins that his right ankle was now bending at the wrong angle.

He chimed, "I'm the greatest wizard of them all!" to activate the portkey. As he approached Hogwarts he heard a gong and then felt the school's magical wards repel him; blasting him into the Black Lake. As he kicked to the surface of the lake, he was glad the Grindylow population was presently at its lowest level for centuries. Fate was kind, he came out of the lake and found Hagrid about fifty yards off to the left. He was carried to his brother's pub to take the floo to St Mungo's for treatment and subsequently missed the rest of the fallout that day.

Minister Fudge and Undersecretary Umbridge entered Gringotts through the VIP floo to find Frontstabber's decapitated head on a spike next to the severed heads of his whole clan. Under the heads was a sign warning thieves and traitors.

Minister Fudge was an expert survivalist and immediately dived back into the floo and exited the bank. Umbridge wasn't so lucky as the goblins surrounded her. The toad was a squealer, and before they threatened bodily harm or compulsions, she had confessed to her crimes. She continued spilling names of fellow conspirators, and all the crimes she was aware of that had any impact on the bank. They took her to the mines for hard labor for the rest of her exceptionally long life.

The Minister had a communiqué waiting for him at the Ministry. It notified him that his life was forfeit if he ever dared to enter the bank again. It was no surprise that his family accounts had been seized to cover his ill-gotten gains through Frontstabber.

The one positive of his day was that Harry Potter should be dead in Azkaban. To get confirmation, he contacted the warden through the floo network to hear what had happened that morning in Azkaban. He was sorely disappointed when he heard that no one had come to the island that day and things had been very quiet. The dementors hadn't swarmed anyone, everything was running on schedule, and the warden wondered when the Minister had caught that outrageous press conference the Harry Potter gave the headquarters of MACUSA. Minister Fudge pulled himself out of his fireplace and decided that he needed more than a fifth of mead.

After his second drink, he called his admin to find a transcript copy of the Potter press conference and question and answer session. Three pages into it, things had gone to Hell for the minister in the manner of a few hours. He had a plan to end a problem, and it turned out he hadn't just tickled a sleeping dragon but at poked it in the eye and then discovered that dragon was the only hope for British survival against who he would call the evilest and the most powerful Dark Lord since Morgana. Damn Dumbledore, Snape, Malfoy, Skeeter and the Daily Prophet and Umbridge for convincing him that Potter was not to be trusted. The boy had been wholly pleasant in their interactions in his second year and then again at the start of the fiasco with Sirius Black. He needed that Potter kid. He called down to the Unspeakable Department to confirm the prophecy was verifiable, to his displeasure the prophecy was valid. He had forced the Chosen-One to leave forever. What the in the Hell was he going to do to fix this? He spent until late in the evening drinking and thinking about this disastrously mishandled situation.

**********Scene change to Amelia Bones**********

As Amelia was playing the wireless in the background while she worked, she partially heard:

" _The bullying from the Hufflepuffs, especially Abbot and Bones sending mild cutting curses at my bag and clothes and smiling when they hit flesh instead or the tripping jinxes as they passed me on the stairs. I had been as surprised by this as they are rumored to be such nice girls."_

'There is no way Potter is talking about my Susan,' she thought. She is always on her best behavior, and if she wasn't then, he probably deserved it. A purebred future wife would allow her future husband to save face in public and would correct him when they were alone. Amelia had heard that Narcissa Malfoy takes Lucius to task and has roughed him up numerous times even going so far to have cursed him a couple of times. That must be what Susan had done. Dumbledore always conveyed the most horrid things from Potter towards her and her niece. Susan just was keeping him humble and helping him be good, that had to be it.

A moment later she heard, _"Susan Bones fired off a semi-lethal cutting curse at my back while I ascended the stairs and Hannah Abbott sends of a gouging curse."_ I sure hope she didn't if she maimed or attempted to kill Harry things were going to be bad for them. She opened her desk and pulled out the Fire-whisky to help take the edge off.

When she heard, " _Amelia and Susan Bones have actively failed to fulfill their duties as alliance members. Susan has tried to cause excessive bodily harm if not death on multiple occasions. I call our alliance void. In fact, their actions against me declare them as actual blood traitors and oath breakers for abandoning a thirty-generation alliance without cause. Thus, the loans from my families to theirs are due in thirty days. The marriage contract between the Potters and Bones is void with due cause."_ She almost fainted. She took a deep gulp right from the bottle. She felt magic confirm the veracity of his claims. Amelia called out for her admin, "Call Susan and tell her to get her arse in here right this damn minute!"

She was glad that Harry was so ruthless with the Death Eaters, but it was shocking to hear that he held her in more contempt. Susan came into the room to catch the wireless continue, " _Bones and Abbott are horrid, beastly girls. Besides I'd only ask one of them if Draco was the only alternative."_

Susan asked, "Who is talking about me on the wireless?"

"Harry Potter was forced by the Wizengamot to accept permeant exile from England this morning, and he is presently giving a press conference inside of the office of MACUSA letting the world know about what is wrong with England. How many times have you tried to maim or kill him? I want a full answer, Susan Amelia Bones!"

Susan blushed and was suddenly very quiet. "I think there were three instances where I could have killed him. During the second year, I tripped him down the stairs, and he could have broken more than his leg and shoulder. The night he stole Cedric's glory by entering the Tournament, I fired a spell that could have cut him in half if he hadn't dodged. Lastly, during the First Task of the Tournament, I destroyed his broom, and I hoped the dragon would teach him some humility."

"Susan do you know what you have done?"

"I never meant to kill him. I mean I figured he might get hurt when I destroyed his broom during the first task of the tournament. I was so angry that he never answered any of the mail that Hannah and I sent him. A simple thank you would have been nice. I was so jealous that Ginny Weasley had her claws into my future husband. Why would he write and gift things to that blood traitor and not to me? The whole thing reflects poorly on me that he would prefer that hussy and all the time he spent with those blood traitors the Weasleys. I never saw Potter and Ginny together, but she would brag to the girls all the time about the things he would do to and for her. She talked about how she was going to be his one and only really hurt me. After I looked up and better understood all those phrases that Headmaster Dumbledore said Harry made about us I would see red every time I saw him. I think I hate him. Harry must be a sick pervert wanting to do those things with Hannah or I. He has to be a freak to want to do them with both of us at the same time.

As a result, I would send him to the hospital from a cut or damage his clothes, and all he would do was look down at the ground and walk away. There is no way he is a light wizard if he can talk to snakes. I am going to be Lady Potter, and he shouldn't treat me like this." She said with a pout and crossed her arms.

"Did you ever talk to Heir Neville Longbottom about Lord Potter to get his opinion?"

"How is he Lord Potter already?" Susan asked.

"After killing the Slytherin's monster, he became the emancipated Heir Gryffindor. All of his other titles were established shortly after that. He was going to be Lord Peverell and Slytherin on his thirteenth birthday, but he became Lord Potter and Lord Black all at the same time when he saved all of you from a gigantic basilisk. I bet everyone at Hogwarts owes him a life debt because of that. So, what about your talks with Neville about Harry?"

Susan answered, "Neville told me that Harry must know about the alliance because Harry was always kind to him until Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Harry was the only person to stick up for him, the only person to push him to be better and simultaneously believe that Neville had loads of potential. Harry always made him feel welcome. Neville also mentioned that Harry has a lot of scars and that Harry tried to hide them from his dorm mates. Harry never brags about girls and never talked about a betrothal with anyone ever. Harry never asked him or talked about alliances. Lastly, Neville implied that he had betrayed the friendship rather than Harry. For some reason, Neville couldn't say what caused things to change just that he felt sham and regret.

Amelia hugged Susan and replied, "I think that Dumbledore lied to us about everything. Harry told the world that he was abused and tortured for more than ten years by his Uncle and Aunt. He didn't know that he was a wizard until a month before your first year at Hogwarts. He has never received correspondence from the Wizarding world except for a couple of his friends. He also stated that he didn't know about your betrothal until the summer before your third year. At the moment of discovery, he knew he was going to find a way out of it because of how you treated him and how I have ignored my obligations to him. I hate to break it to you but you aren't going to be Lady Potter, and it will probably be much worse than that. He claims to have cause to break your betrothal and end our ancient alliance as well as the alliance with the Longbottoms." She cautiously informed Susan.

Susan broke into tears.

Amelia continued. "I checked with Gringotts, and they confirmed that the contact in our vault burst into flames and then disintegrated inside of our former vault. Former vault because all the jewels and coins have been seized to repay the Potters. We are just about out of money and will need to sell the manor, and I will probably not have a job tomorrow because of your actions at school and my actions of not fighting to take him in. I knew I was third on the list after Sirius Black and the Longbottom Family. I was just so busy with Death Eater cases at the time, and I was leaving you too often with your nanny. I've failed James and Lily. I should have verified everything Dumbledore said to us. I should have contacted him directly two years ago, and for not sticking up for him this morning, I'm so sorry that we have lost almost everything." Amelia whispered.

Over the radio, the worst news of the day occurred, " _Madam Bones as you may have guessed I am calling in the life debts and offering Susan to the Malfoys for one-third of a bronze Knut. I don't care why she has been terrible to me for the past three years or why she has tried to maim and/or kill me more times than He-Who-Has-No-Nose, but I did due diligence, having her examined and found her free of potions and mind-control like the imperius curse. As an oath breaker, best of luck with your employment options."_

There were very few things she regretted in her life, but at that moment she could feel the disappointment of twenty-nine generations of Bones Family members. She hung her head in shame, and the two of them cried until they fell asleep.

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading. I appreciate all of the constructive comments even some of the harsh critics have been helpful. Although I write as an escape from normal life, I hope to improve my prose overtime.

The next chapter will have a wider reaction to the reveal.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to J K Rowling for creating a beautiful world where our imagination can play.**

 **Vivre et Laisser Mourir Chapter 6**

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, was sitting in her Balmoral Castle Office in Aberdeenshire, Scotland reviewing her daily mail, a note from Prince Charles, business notices, and essential communications from Her Prime minister. She was doing double the work today as she had spent yesterday with her prized horses and planning the breeding of her award-winning corgis and her amazing Labradors.

She went over the note from Prince Charles. He was pleased with himself for a land swap that he had negotiated with Baron Potter the prior week. Her son had traded a hectare of land in British Columbia, Canada, an almost useless island next to Bermuda, and a square mile of city blocks in Bombay India. She was glad to get rid of that property in India as the Shiv Sena party was going to change the name of that city in the next few weeks to Mumbai as a way to insult Her and England. She couldn't fathom why Baron Potter would give up all of that green space in Devon for just those three pieces of land. The present market values meant it was a fair trade, but there was so much more potential with that green space if they developed it slowly over the next half century.

Her next correspondence of note was about some unimportant boy from Private Drive in Surrey asking for help against his neglectful family. She would pass that off to be reviewed by Scotland Yard.

Twenty minutes later, she got a note from her Chief Wizard Elphias Doge had noted there was some mild unrest in the Magical World but nothing of significance to note on that topic. Also, Harry Potter had won the Triwizard Tournament by killing a full-sized dragon in the first task, rescuing all four hostages in the second task and making it through a hellacious maze. Her family was so proud of the boy-who-lived that Charles and Diana had named her Grandson after him. Potter was turning out to be a great wizard. She hoped that he was willing to take over as her wizarding advisor in three or four more years. She had missed having a Potter work for her as an advisor and as her representative to the Wizengamot. She had worked with both his Grandfather and Great- Grandfather and enjoyed their witty candor.

After supper, she finally got to the last thing on her to do list. John Major had sent a rare evening briefing that included a note that Baron Hadrian Potter had renounced his citizenship, his hereditary seat in the House of Lords, and especially Her. She dropped the briefing and had her servant call the Prime Minister immediately to explain in detail what had happened. While waiting for him to be on the line, she reflected on what she knew of Hadrian and the Potters. The Potters had served as her family's point of contact with the wizarding world and had been exceptional loyal and successful since the late 17th century. If she remembered correctly, the Potters had even served on the roundtable under King Arthur. As John Major came on the line, "Good Evening, Ma'am."

"John, how nice to speak with you this evening. I wish it were under better circumstances. Please explain to me what is happening regarding Baron Potter?" she requested.

She heard him take a deep breath and then reply, "It appears that he blames you for signing off on his living arrangements where he was not only neglected for much of the past 14 years but tortured and abused to the point that he should have died on multiple occasions. He claims that he has mailed letters asking for help for past ten years to you, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Lady Thatcher, and the last five to me.

As he completed business with Prince Charles last week using the same method of communication as he had used for the prior ten years while he was pleading for our help. I imagine at best that he feels betrayed by all of us.

He claims that the local council in Surrey, Scotland Yard, and the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey all turned a blind eye to his suffering. I won't go into the extent of his suffering, but the scars have taken the best magical healers in the world almost two years to heal, and they can mend a broken arm in seconds.

I sent a special MI5 investigator, Tom Quinn, a cynical muggleborn wizard who is disenfranchised by the local wizarding world, to ascertain the claims. He found reams of documents that someone bewitched to block investigations surrounding both Hadrian and Harry Potter. He found some hospital staff with memory blocks of the incidents and a member of the Surrey Council under bewitchment. He found my office to have a spell that caused me to overlook most things regarding Potter as not important unless I am already agitated. I wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't do the same thing to you or your offices.

Do you remember hearing anything about Potter before this, Ma'am?"

Usually, the Queen prided herself for being composed and was wishing that she still had the power to have someone killed publicly as King Charles II did with a simple, 'off with their head.' How dare Elphias Doge mislead her! If he were the one to use magic on her, one of her agents like Matthew Dunn or James Bond would make Doge disappear.

"Yes, indeed today I heard that Baron Potter completed a land swap with Prince Charles. Doge let me know that Baron Potter won the Triwizard Tournament in spectacular fashion a few weeks ago and now that I am flustered I can recall that I received his letter for help today but the name was blurry, and I had felt compelled to just pass it on to Scotland Yard without a second thought. Before today, I heard that he was well and that he had rejoined the magical world four years ago and that he was a bright, upstanding young man," she replied.

"I'll send Senior Case Officer Quinn over tomorrow to clear out the spells and try and determine who is responsible. Anything else I can do for you, Ma'am?"

"Is there more going on in the Magical World than I have been told?" She asked.

"Yes, Ma'am. It appears that the Baron has stopped that terrorist Voldemort from returning in June of 1992 and May of 1993. Also, the Baron killed a gigantic snake at that time, the kind that could kill with its stare and could eat an elephant in one sitting. He destroyed a score of those demonic dementors in 1994. He claims that Voldemort returned to a body at the end of the Tournament a few weeks ago but that Potter has made that maniac mortal again as well as waged a financial war that hopefully crippled the supporters of that terrorist. Apparently, all but one of his supporters are now running from the world's most vicious debt collectors, the goblins of Gringotts.

Today, he left the country this morning after Minister Fudge and the Wizengamot exiled him from the country. He made an unbreakable vow that for all intents and purposes will keep him out of England for the rest of his life unless Fudge squelched on the plea bargain that they made. He gave a press conference in New York this afternoon listing his grievances with the Wizarding World and us. After that, he disappeared, and no one knows of his present location.

Lastly, there was also an explosion this evening at their magical prison in the North Sea. The only casualties were some of those demons and all ten of the marked Death Eaters. It seems like serendipity." He explained.

The Queen was silent for the moment and then spoke, "What do we say about coincidences?"

"That the universe is rarely so lazy, Ma'am. I am sure Potter is somehow responsible, but I for one am glad that those animals won't be able to murder, rape, and torture anyone ever again. I'd arrange for him to be awarded a George Cross just for that action alone if he was still British."

"Minister, what options towards Potter do we have now?" asked the Queen.

"Obviously, we could do nothing and ignore it. We could ignore Potter's tantrum because we haven't purposefully done anything wrong and it appears that the wizards have been pulling the strings and so he can take it up with those that wronged him. It looks like Doge, Fudge, and Dumbledore have each meddled in our perceptions of that portion of the kingdom. They have also wronged Potter.

We could apologize for not being vigilant, for failing him and explaining that with interference we were unaware of his plight and it was kept from us. Additionally, the paperwork signing off on his staying with the Dursleys never arrived at your desk. I'm not sure how it was overlooked, but I'd wager that Dumbledore hocus pocused that document past us.

My preferred option is to finish the investigation and then for us to travel on a state visit to America and summon him to your presence and explain what we have found and the details we uncover. I would bet that he is either in Canada or the United States. I doubt he knows of the full measure of the Potter's relationship to the Crown. We apologize for our part, and we promise vengeance on those personae non gratae. We remind him of his duty and offer him the opportunity to maintain his Office, and we rebuild a relationship that has existed for centuries, Ma'am." He stated.

"I quite like that last idea. Please, keep me informed with what SCO Quinn discovers. I would like to have the Wizarding World running smoothly as soon as possible. Thank you and good evening." Replied the Queen.

He quickly replied, "Good evening, Ma'am."

As she replaced the receiver, she went over to an in-the-wall safe and opened it pulling out two journals. One was from her father and contained his reflections on Grindelwald's War. Few were aware that Barons Potter and Black had disposed of most of Grindelwald's acolytes in a surprise attack. Subsequently, they critically wounded Grindelwald before he ran off and accidentally ran into Dumbledore. Dumbledore disarmed Grindelwald and promptly arrested him with two simple spells. He spent the next many years aggrandizing and touting the battle into the battle for the ages.

The other was a secret journal from her Great-Grandmother, Queen Victoria, dealing with the wizarding world and the war started in Crimea by that Dark Lord Pavel Nakhimov. The World believed that a sniper ended his life but Baron Henry Potter had tracked him down, and the went toe to toe for a massive duel. The Queen read late into the evening to better understand the views of her two predecessors especially their adoration for the Potters that had served with them.

Author's Note: Sorry this is such a short chapter I thought it was better to finish this scene and post it rather take a few more days to finish the next few scenes. In real life, I work for an airline. I feel terrible for those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in horrific ways. Luckily for me, I only lost most of my free time. I am hoping the next chapter will be over 8,000 words and that I will post it in the next ten days.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to J K Rowling for creating a beautiful world where our imagination can play.

Vivre et Laisser Mourir

Chapter 7

Ginny Weasley's face was flush with anger; her diamond embedded golden ticket to the great life had disappeared from his aunt's house without a trace a few days ago. He was infuriating her; he was supposed to be a love-sick puppy that followed her around and waited to fulfill her desires. His letters before her first year at school had all said so. Her first year was a bit of a blur when Tom Riddle possessed her, but she remembered her knight rescuing her from certain death from the two monsters. Even her four brothers that were at Hogwarts at the time had not bothered to try and save her. Ron sort of followed Harry down the pipes but couldn't even hold onto his wand nor make a hole in the cave in to help Harry.

She was feeling abandonment and betrayal by his lack of letters and contact over the past two years. He never initiated any conversations nor contact with her, but he had always been kind until Halloween. Since she and the Gryffindor house had voted to censure him on the night of Halloween, he had ignored her existence. He ignored all of their existences, but it hurt that he lumped her in with the rest of them. After Dumbledore had implied in the Great Hall that Harry had snuck into the tournament she had felt that they should punish him in some form. It had hurt her to vote against him for his dishonorable actions, but the leaders of the house had not explained the full consequences, e.g., banishment from Gryffindor. They made it sound like they would shun him until he corrected his poor behavior that he would probably apologize before a week passed. How was she going to stay close to him and birth his children if he ignored her and she and the rest of the Gryffindors were out of the Revered House as of the upcoming first of September? She didn't want to be a Slytherin; her family would hate her and don't get her started on how Ron would loathe her. Harry's enemies were all Slytherins, and she thought that there is no way he would ever date and marry one. Moreover, she recognized she was only loyal to her family precluding her from being a Hufflepuff. She had gotten rid of Luna so she could focus on her plans for Harry and if her brother's future slut got between her and her Harry well, then her brother would just need to find another mudblood whore. Lastly, there was no way she belonged to that group of bookworm know-it-alls in Ravenclaw. She read only Witch's Weekly for tips on seducing and satisfying her partners and the stories about the Boy-Who-Lived-But-Would-Die-For-Her.

She had sent him all of his favorite foods each containing a special ingredient or two that would make him remember how he felt about her. He was just shy, so he needed some help to open up about his feelings for her. Her mother had told her that Harry loved her and Harry's letters since she could read, all said the same things that she would be his one and only. It would remind him why he risked his life to save her at the end of her first year at Hogwarts from Tom Riddle and the Basilisk. It would also remind him of how much he loved her that he saved her during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament just over five months ago. Sure, he had saved the other three girls, but he had to for his public image, he was a hero after all. Although she was jealous that he had carried that little French tart out of the Black Lake, she understood that it played best for the international papers that he helped the tiny half-breed that was afraid of the water.

She couldn't wait until he was done with his trial this morning so that he could take her shopping. She needed to dress the part of the future Mrs. Potter. Twilfitt and Tatting's and Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions would help her look better than even Lady Malfoy. She also should get a Firebolt like Harry so she would be the obvious choice for the Quidditch team, sure it cost more than her father made in a year but Harry owed it to her and what is his will be hers soon enough.

A few hours later, there was an emergency floo message notifying everyone at Grimmauld Place that there was to be major news on the wireless in a matter of a few minutes. As they crammed into the kitchen to hear the news, Ginny started to tremor with rage. Her Harry was never coming back to England.

How was she supposed to due to her daughterly duty now? Her father was going to start drinking again. He had initially been a hopeless mess that found solace from his unproductive life playing with muggle stuff and drinking. After the agreement for the betrothal and plans for Harry's untimely demise, life had gotten better in the Weasley family. Now her dad only kept his obsession with Muggle things. It was sad to see he knew less than a third of the proper names for the objects of his obsession. He was most excited to explore the muggle world and see more of it. That was part of the reason he put up with Ron's plans to enslave the mudblood so she could serve as a guide in the muggle world. He thought it was novel that those simple apes could be so creative with helifloppters and aereoplaids.

Her mother was counting down the days until they could have a manor house and have more house elves than family members to do all of the work. She wanted to be a lady of leisure and means. She found it exhausting to be sweet to Potter. He was the reason that her brothers, Gideon and Fabian had died. That brat should have ended the war months earlier so that she still had her precious brothers. She had once voiced her feelings to her second oldest son, Charlie, and he had asked how was a baby supposed to fight The Dark Lord while in his nappies and unable to walk on his own. She had screamed at him for more than three hours about the injustice of it all and her suffering because of Harry Potter and how she would have her revenge. The next day he announced his apprenticeship at the Dragon Reserve in Romania rather than trying out for the England National Quidditch team as he had planned since his third year at Hogwarts. No one knew that he had sent a letter to Gringotts on his way out of town to warn them that he had just heard a fraction of the family plans against the future Lord Potter.

Like most listeners throughout the United Kingdom, everyone but the spy was shocked that Harry was a Lord and not just of one house but of four houses and that he was likely to be the Lord of a fifth shortly. A few in the room were afraid of what the future could bring. Justice could be swift from the Lord of an Ancient and Noble or an Ancient and Revered House. The last Lord Black was ruthless even in his 80's. The last Lord Peverell was almost mythical as he played the long game against his enemies and only greeted death because it was time to greet an old friend like in Beedle's story of the Three Brothers and the last Lord Gryffindor was a warrior beyond the exploits of Leonidas of Sparta or Alexander Nevsky.

They sat in silence as the wireless commentator was promising to switch over to the events in New York's MACUSA headquarters within a few minutes. The commentator mentioned that Lord Potter had arrived and warmly embraced Heiress Daphne Greengrass in front of her parents and little sister. "It is so adorable to see them together holdings hands. They remind me of how adorable Lord Potter's parents look in old pictures. It looks like she is going to do the introductions," added the commentator. As the presentation continued, Ginny cried that he loved someone else and that he knew of her plans and had blocked them. Tears of pain occurred when he burned the betrothal agreement, and her copy caught fire in her pocket. Lastly, intense sobbing that contorted her face in unpleasant and almost inhuman ways started as he offered to sell her and those Hufflepuff hussies to the Malfoys for less than a bronze knut. She collapsed on the ground as the rest of the room was too shocked to notice her reaction.

Sirius and Remus had spent the prior night trying to drink a whole barrel of Fire- whiskey. Without the intervention of their magic, their blood alcohol levels of 0.63 and 0.71 should have been more than enough to be lethal. They had passed out, and even the maximum strength hangover portion only got them back down to 0.18. In their haze, they were laughing at all the funny reactions going on around them. They called for Kreature to take them back to the firewhiskey because it was already the legitimate time to drink somewhere in the world. Their next conscious moment was waking up in the magical department of the Betty Ford Clinic in California two days later.

Ron Weasley sat at the kitchen table going through a thirty-five-centimeter stack of pancakes, cream, and fruit. He was oblivious to the wireless and the muttering around him as he devoured this second breakfast. He was a growing boy and needed to keep up his strength if he was going to teach the mudblood her place in the Wizarding World that night. The best part was that he had approval from her magical guardian to enslave her. Until her death, she would do his homework, chores, and satisfy his needs. He would find a good pureblood wife once his family had taken enough money from that berk, Potter so he could afford the dowry of a girl that he deserved.

Hermione would be his plaything and if his future wife wanted her to serve as a wet nurse, house elf, au pair, concubine he would be happy to humiliate her further. He had all it all worked out. He heard Potter's name mentioned and smiled about how he was the chess master and prodigy. Ron planned on taking everything precious from Harry. Ron could remember like it was yesterday when Harry had confided in him at the end of their first year that his friendship with Hermione, his invisibility cloak, his broom, his familiar (Hedwig), and his family photos were everything important to him in this world.

"What a moron!" He muttered with a mouthful of pancakes and chuckled to himself until he started to choke on his food. He sat there for what seemed like hours to him, and no one looked over to notice that the human garbage disposal was clogged. Luckily, his brother, Bill, popped into the room and summoned the partially crewed glue from the throat of the blue-faced hog.

Hermione watched with disappointment in her eyes as Ron started to breathe again. Since the Christmas Ball, she had felt only contempt for the Weasleys. She knew that she might never be as close to Harry again as she was before he had gone off to fight against Voldemort and Professor Quirrell at the end of their first year. She had made so many mistakes since that time.

Initially, she readily agreed with Dumbledore's petition to report on Harry's state of mind and emotional wellbeing. She knew that Quirrell had died because of something Harry had done and she was worried about his mental health. Most professionals in the Muggle-world had access to a grief counselor after being involved in someone's death. She suspected that Harry hated the Dursleys because of neglect, but Dumbledore assured her that Harry was going to be okay and that Harry needed protection from the Death Eaters. Dumbledore promised that he would be fine, the Death Eaters were actively trying to kill Harry so what if the Dursleys were just a little heavy-handed when correcting a misbehaving Harry.

At the end of that September, Dumbledore asked her to go beyond what she was comfortable sharing. She initially refused, but the Headmaster told her, that she needed to observe Harry because he had a darkness and evilness about him. He implored her to watch him and come back to her once she noted it.

Two things caused her to accept the Headmaster's request. First, she had been troubled by Harry's anger towards Malfoy. Until recently, she had never considered the full message conveyed by all the filthy chauvinistic things Malfoy had said about her, Fleur, their respective mothers, Harry's mother, and most females. An honor duel to Draco's death would be permissible under Wizarding Law based on just one of the hundreds of such comments. During the second year, the looks that Harry gave "Little Bad Faith" contained more loathing than the naive thirteen-year-old Hermione deemed appropriate. She knew it was hypocritical as a fourteen-year-old Hermione had broken Bad Faith's jaw over comments Draco made about the impending execution of a cantankerous hippogriff.

The second thing that convinced her to betray Harry was that he was a parselmouth. All of the books in Hogwarts Library, and especially the ones she was aware of during her second year stated that only dark and evil wizards could speak the language of snakes. Two weeks ago, she had been shocked to find that the rest of the world's opinion, in the Black library of all places. She had found a heavy tome explaining each major cultures' views of magical gifts. It took a culturally relative view of the magical gifts. England and most of Europe found it to be dark and evil while India, Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Native Americans, the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans it was considered a blessing from the Gods. Parselmouths were protectors and healers hence the Rod of Asclepius use throughout the Muggle medical professions. The remaining portion of the world was indifferent to the gift, thus treating the gift as just another foreign language.

During the Yule Ball, she realized that Krum had dosed her with a poorly made version of amortentia. She rushed to the clinic for a flushing potion before Krum could press his advantage over her. With Madam Pomphrey out of the castle until the New Year, the healer-on-call from St Mungo's gave her the full work over, and the results were earth-shattering, it turned out that there were other potions in her system from the Weasleys, Dumbledore, and Krum. She had never felt more alone. How did this happen to her? Why would good people do this to her? Were they even good people? Why had she abandoned Harry? Hundreds of questions came to her mind, and she realized that she had been played as a fool and that she needed to open her eyes and question everything. Her working hypothesis was that Harry was free from control and had big plans for the magical world. She thought of a few ways to apologize to Harry but would need to sleep on her options.

After she left the infirmary that night, she walked past the Yule Ball and could not help but see the happiness in Fleur and Harry. It had been years since she had seen him so happy outside of a Quidditch game. She was happy for him but at the same time tears sprung from her eyes as she regretted giving up on her best friend, probably her only friend in all of the magical world. She had a long evening contemplating her place in this world and if it was worth continuing to deal with it at all. Her emotions spanned the depths of depression and anxiety to the point that she decided to pray for the first time since her Grandmother stopped taking her to Sunday School. She wasn't sure if anyone had heard her prayer, but she knew that she could fix her problems with hard work and perseverance.

The day after Harry had saved her during the second task she had decided on a course of action. She followed Harry as he left the main hall, and once they were in an empty hall, he called out to Harry. "My Lord Potter and Heir Gryffindor, have mercy on your former friend as I seek sanctuary from your enemies and my enemies. I will do anything you ask, I so swear on my life and my magic, so mote it be."

He lowered his glowing wand and stopped the curse that was about to leave his lips. "Follow me." was his only reply.

They walked through some secret passages up to a mirror on the fourth floor. Hermione had heard that this passage had caved in the year before they had arrived at Hogwarts. As it opened, she could see rubble ahead, but they kept walking towards it. Just as Harry was going to crash into the rocks his body disappeared. What better way to have a secret exit from the castle than to use one that was known to be blocked. She followed and shortly there was an exit into a beautiful garden with Hogsmeade off a few hundred meters. He took a seat on a bench under a tree and asked, "So, who are our enemies?"

"As of the night of the Yule Ball, I know the Weasleys, Dumbledore, and Krum are on my list. Krum had slipped me a poorly drafted date rape potion, and the on-call healer gave me a flushing potion clearing out Krum's potions. Incredibly, it cleansed me from Dumbledore's, and the Weasleys' as well. Healer Doug Ross also found a few blocked memories. The returned memories were of me finding out some of the Weasley secrets and about Dumbledore knowing that Sirius was always innocent even back in 1981. Can you believe he let an innocent man, one of his devoted followers, go to Azkaban? Sirius was innocent, and we had to almost lose our souls last year to dementors on two occasions for me and four times for you. I hate that ancient senile Machiavellian thief.

A large portion of the magical world is against me as a muggleborn, especially the Death Eaters and most of the Slytherin's. I can imagine that all of those on that list are your enemies as well as the Daily Prophet, Fudge and most of the Ministry of Magic. Did I miss anyone?"

"Sirius isn't the only innocent that Dumbledore cast into prison, he sent me to suffer since that terrible Samhain night. The Dursleys were worse than Azkaban. After I inflated Aunt Marge, I ended up in Diagon Alley and especially in Gringotts. They sent some goblins to look over the Dursleys and found that they were potioned to lower their perception of me, there were some charms that enhance the fright that they have of magic, and there were some charms that would lower their violent inhibitions towards me. Let's be clear, they weren't forced to act in any way shape or form towards me, but the magic was used to exaggerate their feelings towards me. They always disliked me, they never wanted me, and they have never been kind towards me even after a year free from magical interference. They sent a typical worthless Christmas gift to me, they still yelled at me this summer, but there was no attempted violence last summer.

Your list is pretty good, but Susan and Amelia Bones and the Abbotts are also on the list. Probably the Royal Family with special emphasis on her Majesty the Queen, the Prime Minister, Sirius, and Lupin are on the list as well. As an orphaned peer of the realm, the

Queen approved of my placement with the Dursleys. I have written to her and the Prime Minister for the past nine years asking for help to save me from torturous conditions, and I had thought that someone was blocking my mail to them, but I just got a reply from Prince Charles regarding a land swap deal that I want to arrange with the Royals. Sirius has been useless since we saved him last May and he has only been in contact once since this school year started. Lupin left me alone for 12 years and took more than three months even to reveal that he was friends with my family last year.

You have no idea what the Weasleys have in store for us. They would say that 'It's just business, nothing personal.' It is sad really that few people are aware of Michael Corleone's response in Puzo's book read as:

'Tom, don't let anybody kid you. It's all personal, every bit of business. Every piece of shit every man has to eat every day of his life is personal. They call it business. OK. But it's personal as hell. You know where I learned that from? The Don. My old man. The Godfather. If a bolt of lightning hit a friend of his, the old man would take it personal. He took my going into the Marines personal. That's what makes him great. The Great Don. He takes everything personal Like God. He knows every feather that falls from the tail of a sparrow or however the hell it goes? Right? And you know something? Accidents don't happen to people who take accidents as a personal insult.'

Dumbledore, the Weasleys, the Bones, the Longbottoms, Tom Riddle, the Death Eaters, and most of the Wizarding Britain have forgotten that they have made things very personal. Basically, Ginny is planning to either seduce me or potion and then rape me so that she can get pregnant and steal the Potter fortune when it is time for me to martyr myself in the final battle with Voldemort. She had had this plan in her mind since before she started at Hogwarts. In the Chamber, Tom Riddle thought it was hilarious that I was attempting to save the girl that is plotting my demise. Also, the Weasleys have planned to turn you into, how is do I put this in as minimally a crass a way as possible, oh yes, they are going to turn you into their whore and a figurative house elf. Slavery has been their plan for you since we became friends in the first year. I imagine that Ron would try and claim priority but you'd end up simultaneously servicing the twins, Percy, Bill and Arthur on occasions as well. Only Charlie has honor in that family. Ultimately, you would be little better off than one of Dumbledore's brother's goats."

Hermione burst into tears at hearing what could have been her future had Krum not dosed her with a faulty potion.

Harry continued, "as far as how we can help each other. I need you to learn Occlumency. This book will get you up to speed in a month, but it will require at least two hours per day. Also here is an amulet that you need to wear all of the time even in the shower to protect your mind and will neutralize potions that those villains of the light will try to slip you once again. It might be better to pretend the potions are working but don't sign anything and definitely don't put on any jewelry that anyone gives you. By the way, this amulet has no strings attached to the protection that it provides. At the end of March if you prove your worth and that you have protected your mind, we can scheme for the long-term improvements that will benefit our true friends and us," he replied.

He gave her a quick hug and let her know that he had to get back to the castle to work on things. She didn't have another chance to talk to him until the end of March when she found a note in her Transfiguration book telling her to meet him in the garden at 8:30 that night. She had been there for less than a minute when Harry appeared out of nowhere and startled her.

"Thanks for coming. How has the occlumency going?" Harry asked.

As she caught her breath, she replied, "It is amazing. I have put in almost three hours a night and finished all the exercises in the book. My mind palace has made things even easier to retain new material, and I have recovered a few memories that Dumbledore tried to erase also weirdly enough I can remember the sights and sounds back from the day after my birth."

"Good job! I am going to test you occlumency shields, and then we can discuss the future."

As she nodded her acceptance, Harry pulled out his wand and whispered, "Incursus Mentislegilimens."

Hermione felt a cloud of mist approach her mental shields and mostly bounce off. Puzzlingly, she also felt her memories start to pass quickly around in her mind. She tried to cause her mental guardians to attack, but they couldn't find any intrusive entities to fight. A moment later, she felt the cloud recede, and she wondered what had happened and why she was on the ground rather than on the bench.

Harry started, "I'm rather impressed. You are capable of protecting yourself from any normal attacks that Dumbledore or Snape utilize. They would need hours of constant attacking to get even a fraction of a thought. Voldemort is rumored to be in his own league but another couple of months, and you should be safe from anything but a lengthy interrogation from him. Don't be sad; I learned a unique form of Legilimency that is almost impossible to fight. I feel like I can trust you with the plan and we can figure out how to take down our enemies and build a better world.

First, I need to let you know that I am going to need you to be my double agent for probably a year to 18 months. I will let you know what misinformation to give Dumbledore so that he confides in you even more information. Also, if the Weasley's decide to move up their timetable of the summer before our sixth year, I will make sure to get you out of there and help you and your parents get to safety.

Second, I don't look like this scrawny git you see in front of you." He dropped the glamor, and she was awed by his new form that would make Adonis jealous. He continued, "I had extensive malnutrition and scars from abuse. It has taken the goblins almost two years to get me to this point with combining alchemy, magical steroids, human growth hormones, a deliberate athlete's diet and focused exercise.

Third, I am also Lord Black, Peverell, Slytherin, and one day Lord Greengrass. As such I am required to have more than one wife. Potter is supposed to marry Susan Bones, Peverell is supposed to marry Hannah Abbott, Slytherin is going to marry Tracy Davis, Black is supposed to marry Nymphadora Tonks, I have loved Daphne since the second year, and I will be her Lord Greengrass. I am going to get out of the betrothals with Bones, Abbott, and Tonks. The prior two have tried to kill me more of times than Tom Riddle for highly misunderstood reasons that could be resolved if they would ever permit themselves to have a conversation with me. Tonks is a Dumbledore groupie through and through, and she is also my second cousin so that would be weird. Yes, fate hates me.

Fourth, I am almost as powerful as Dumbledore was in his prime. I could take him in a fight or a battle or raw magic, but in a structured and regulated duel, his spell knowledge would probably crush me.

Lastly, there is a prophecy that the Dark Lord and I will end up killing each other. He has made five attempts thus far, and I have returned the favor by arranging for or personally destroying six pieces of his soul, there are two more pieces left before he can die."

Her mind was blown. There was so much to process, but she was glad that Harry was more on top of things than she had supposed. He handed her a book. "Prick your finger and let a few drops of blood fall onto the binding. Inside you will find a magical way to send messages to each other through its twin that only a magical blood relative would be able to read. Because we can't be seen talking together, this is a way to pass information so we can plan for the future. Please check it each night when you are alone."

As the tenth drop of blood hit the book, it glowed for a few seconds, and she noticed that her finger was healed. He gave her a warm hug and let her know that he needed to head back.

Over the next few months, they passed notes through their connected books, and he helped her feed partially true information to Dumbledore. Harry had thought the idea of holding his owl hostage but safe a brilliant play against the old schemer.

Once she arrived at the safe house, she expressed her concern over Sirius and Lupin to Harry. It seemed suspect that both men with such potential were now useless drunks. The pint-size spies, Harry's House Elves, discovered the timetable for Hermione's subjugation had been moved up, just as the plans to turn Harry into Ginny's loyal puppy were accelerated.

In the early evening of the day Harry was exiled from Britain, Hermione gathered her things, Hedwig, and the two drunks and took a port key home to grab her parents. Ninety seconds after arriving at home, she stuck a port key to Padfoot and Mooney that whisked them off to get treatment in Rancho Mirage, California. Her parents took another portkey to Albany, New York to their new lives and new dental practice an hour drive from Hermione's new school while she took another portkey to Ilvermorny in Massachusetts.

The Dark Lord had been in his study, combing through books and scrolls looking for solutions to his fatigue. Healing from Potters farewell spell had finally sealed. All of his research concluded that this body should be better than the original and that although his magic was more powerful than any of his followers it was less than he had expected. His limited patience was already exhausted. With each unnecessary interruption, the culprit had fled after the most thorough cruciatus exposure of his or her life.

Lucius Malfoy approached his Lord's chambers and entered to bring him the news of the day. As he explained that Potter had been exiled; an owl from Gringotts's interrupted by dropping a letter in the Dark Lord's hand and fly out the window at once. 'How dare those beasts demand over a hundred Million galleons from him. He was the Heir of Slytherin, and the gold belonged to his ancestors to use as they pleased.' As he continued reading down the page, he learned some things that he had never known. He wasn't the Heir but rather a member of a bastard line of thieves. He pondered 'how was he going to come up with that much money to pay back the Goblins? Could he fight the goblins and take them over before the ninety days expired?' He needed to torture someone and blasted his luck, Lucius was off limits due to the wards around the Malfoy Manor. Before allowing Lucius to continue sharing the rest of the day's news, he commanded, "Have you dining room prepared for a meeting in the morning; we are rescuing my other Death Eaters from Azkaban tomorrow night and also launching an attack as well!"

Lucius hastily retreated from the room.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the two-month delay. Life has been a bit crazy. I do appreciate the comments, follows, and favorites.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

 **Vivre et Laisser Mourir**

 **Chapter 8**

Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long to post this chapter. Life has given me a terrible ride over the past few months. Also, keep in mind this Harry isn't a Gary Stu. He has worked hard to be where he is at, but he needs consistent love and years therapeutic intervention to overcome the betrayal trauma and abuse that he has suffered for most of his life. He will misread situation and like many of us misunderstand the intentions of others. He truly only trusts Daphne but only as far as his broken soul will allow him. Thus, there is an expanse between the internal dialogue of Hermione in the last chapter and Harry and Daphne's upcoming conversation about her.

 **Bowen Island, near Vancouver, Canada**

Harry Potter and the Greengrass Family stuck the landing like Olympic gymnasts. After the ten minutes of spinning while they traveled more than 4,500 km by transcontinental portkey, most people would be more than pleased at having kept his or her last meal down, let alone landing on his or her feet.

This trip was Harry's first time on the island since his first birthday, a few months before his parents murders on October 31, 1981. Even with the assistance of occlumency, he struggled to recall those happy moments here at the Potter's Canadian Cabin. Although it was called the cabin in his real estate portfolio, one would think it would be an "A" frame cabin with 85 square meters and a partial loft or a rustic log cabin an adventure movie. Instead, the Potter Island edifice looked remarkably like one of the chateaus that Fleur had shown him in her photo album. Coincidentally, it is a replica of Chateau de Chenonceau found in the Loire Valley in France.

Harry would later learn that one of his great-grandfathers was the illegitimate son of the French King Henry II and Diane de Poitiers. Jacquot had fled to England and later to Canada after his father, the King, had died in a jousting match. The Queen, Catherine de' Medici, had exiled his mother from her home, Chateau de Chenonceau, and had sent assassins to rid the world of all of Henry's illegitimate sons including Jacquot. Once in England, he changed his name to James Potter in an erroneous attempt to hide his identity. Once England was no longer a safe-haven, the wild frontiers of modern-day western Canada became his sanctuary. James had an amicable relationship with the main Potter Family, even marrying Eliza Potter. Eliza loved life in the great outdoors it lacked everything she loathed: court, crowded cities, and backstabbing nature of the Magical world. Together James and Eliza were the first Europeans to see Puget Sound, Vancouver, and most importantly Bowen Island in 1575 a full two centuries before English Captain Vancouver started his expedition. Potter's are a secretive family after all and kept this one safe. Even with the assistance of intercontinental portkeys, also a Potter Family secret until 1982 (thanks, Albus), it took a long time to recreate his mother's dream home and his childhood birthright. Construction took the Potters almost 80 years, but James and Eliza saw its completion by their great-grandchildren.

Sadly, Tristan Potter recalled the large family back to England in the late 1780's from the trading, exploration, and scientific discovery to instead fight for King and Country. Between wars, never-ending Dark Lords, and betrayals the thousand-strong family was down to just 11 souls at the beginning of the twentieth century and only one member since that infamous Halloween night. Luckily there had been enough ambient magic to power the Muggle repelling wards protecting the Chateau from discovery.

Harry was excited to make new memories here in a place that ought to be called the Potter Island Castle, Resort, and Preserve.

With his recent arrangements with the Royal Family, Harry had just finished acquiring the last parcel of the gorgeous island in the middle of the Howe Sound. He loved the idea of having a 50-square km island retreat in the Pacific Northwest.

Historically, the island had resort towns, but the Potters had quietly bought up everything that became available during the past 85 years. The Fidelius charm had been liberally used here after each additional purchase making it, so most people thought that the island had always been just a private nature preserve.

Lord Greengrass viewed the surrounding vista and said, "Thank you for opening your home to us. Europe and especially England are not going to be safe places for many years to come."

Daphne embraced Harry while he replied, "you're welcome. I would do anything to keep the people that are important to Daphne safe," replied Harry. That earned him a kiss on the cheek but rather close to the corner of his mouth causing him to blush.

Harry and company walked closer to the entrance to the main building. He called out, "Potter Elves to me!" At that moment there were pops of apparition throughout the courtyard. A gasp of happiness occurred throughout the crowd, and one of the youngest elves exclaimed, "look, Master Harry is back!" Twelve young and tiny elves gyrated and rushed forward to embraced their master.

Daphne looked about the scene and blurted out, "And I thought Dobby was the only elf that got this excited to see you." Harry gave a wink and continued to give each of these elves a hug while he was down on his knees.

His Majordomo, Bentley, walked to the front of the elves and waiting for Harry to finish greeting the young elves. This scene brought back happy memories of the kind-hearted way Mistress Lily had made time for the elves and treated us like part of the family. "Welcome home, Lord Potter and friends. My name is Bentley, and I am the Majordomo of the household here on your island."

"It is good to see you once again, Bentley. I appreciate the good care you have taken of my island and the properties. I would like to introduce our guests to you." Signaling to the man behind him, "This is my future father-in-law, Lord Greengrass, and his beautiful wife, Lady Greengrass. That mischievous little pixie is Miss Astoria. She is just like I would imagine my little sister, a marauder heiress, would have behaved." Astoria looked a faux-outrage while she hugged Harry on his free side. "Lastly, I'd like to introduce my fiancé, Heiress Daphne. By the way, I'll introduce the Davis Family once they join us tomorrow. They decided to visit family in California."

Bentley replied with a bow, "My pleasure. Would you like a tour or brunch first, my Lord?"

"Let's do brunch first. After the meal, I need to talk to Daphne about a few things and then a tour this afternoon would be greatly appreciated. Please lead the way," Harry replied.

After arriving to the family dining room, a delectable delight was sampled by the Greengrass Family and devoured by Harry. Although he had three plates of food, he somehow maintained a Lordly dignity. Daphne winked at her mother when Lady Greengrass had a puzzled look at how he could put away so much food so quickly without out a mess, slurping, or other poor table manners.

As the meal concluded, they gave their thanks to the staff for a wonderful meal. The rest of the family went outside to enjoy the gardens while Harry and Daphne hand in hand entered the Lord's office and study.

Inside they took a seat in on a mocha colored leather couch. Harry started the conversation, "You would not believe how much I have missed you this summer."

Daphne smiled at the compliment and replied, "I have missed you too. What's on your mind?"

Harry was content to have some time with Daphne. It had been over a month since they were free to be around each other. "When I broke into the mind of Dumbledore this morning, I learned a few things today that and I need your help to resolve them. They mainly regard Fleur, Padfoot, Mooney, Hermione Granger, and my former betrotheds.

"Dumbledore's mind can't have been a pleasant place. What did you learn?"

Harry played with his hands with worry and responded, "Let's start in the reverse order of importance. I was able to confirm that he didn't use any forms of magic to sway the Bones, Abbott or Weasley Families. Everything they have done was out of laziness, greed, jealousy, misguided revenge or due to believing that white-bearded charlatan."

Daphne had a look of loathing on her face and said, "I think you plan to have Throatslasher sell them to the Malfoys tomorrow is perfect. I think the ripples that the plan is sure to cause will be more than just."

"I'm Glad that you agree. As far as the next one and based on Dumbledore's memories of Nymphadora Tonks, she does not care for my wellbeing. She has been aware of the now defunct contract for years; she was less than empathetic to her obviously malnourished, abused, and ignorant betrothed. Also, there was a small memory where Dumbledore told her not to worry about the contract as I would be dead well before I could exercise the contract. She seemed pleased about that and relieved that I was unaware of its existence but was fine with collected the living stipend. I'm glad to be rid of her."

Daphne nodded in agreement. " Her loss. She is never going to find a better man than you. I know that she has had bad relationships with more than a few boys and even a couple of girls treat her as just a sex object to satisfy their desires because of her talents as a metamorphmagus. I truly think she has been subject to more harassment than any veela. Tell me about your discoveries about Granger."

"Dumbledore was still under the impression that she was under those controls and the prior obliviations. If it hadn't been for Krum's poorly attempted date-rape, Hermione would still be under the Weasley's and thus Dumbledore's control. While she did live up to the deal to spy and pass on information for me, and I have complied with the terms of the deal. I found her and her parents a safe place away from the muss in Magical Britain. Keep in mind, I don't trust her, but I trusted her to act in a way that most benefited her self-interests. I have been in her mind and found that she has always been selfish. Even Ayn Rand would tell her to be more altruistic. She is a textbook example of a thick-skinned narcissism. She is the epitome of the negative aspects of a Slytherin and would have been one if she were a pureblood or a half-blood.

Dumbledore should have bought her, and he would have had a brilliant partner in crime; she would do almost anything to get what she wants. She would have gone along with their plans for the right price. She is brilliant enough to find a way around the life debt she owes me. The most important thing to her is herself, and when they tried to take that from her, they made an enemy that wants to burn the world down around them.

She has a talent for the theatrics and almost convinced me that she could be completely trusted. Little does she know that she has a mental block that won't allow her to betray my secrets until they have become public knowledge."

"If she would have been willing to betray you worse than anyone else has why didn't you leave her to be Ron's slave?"

"I don't think I should punish her for something she could have done but only for what she did. I would like to think that I would have forgiven anyone that asked for forgiveness before today, but no one has asked. I'm am going to let Hermione live her life away from me," explained Harry.

"What about Remus and Sirius?"

"They were reduced to drunkards and under Dumbledores magical controls. I'd imagine a few months away from Albus and alcohol, and we can evaluate where we stand with them.

The discovery that send me for a loop was that Dumbledore used an alchemists' elixir to poison Fleur mind and feelings against me. I can't believe I treated her so coldly after she struck me and called me a coward. I should have known he was behind it. If something goes wrong in my like there is usually just two reasons: Tom or Albus and usually it is just Albus. What can I do? Besides you, she is the only person I have ever felt a connection with."

Daphne hurried from her seat and engulfed a sorrow filled Harry in profound embrace. As she held him in her arms, she whispered, "We get revenge. We live well, and we get Throatslasher to get her clean from that substance and convince her to come back to us. It may be awkward, and it may take time, but I know she loves you. She is probably kicking herself for ruining things with you. Also, I think we should give Skeeter the file on the skeletons in Dumbledore's closet so she can ruin his reputation sooner than later. I thought the stuff Cassiopeia Black had on him was sufficiently damning but the stuff your Mother found looks like libel, but it isn't defamation because she has sourced her claims with mountains of proof. If Rita does it right, more than half of the book will be footnotes and endnotes."

Harry chuckled, Daphne knew what he needed to hear to get out of the funk that had enveloped him. He loved that her mind was so devious in how to deal with their enemies. Susan, Hannah, and Ginny were in for the worst day of their lives tomorrow.

They spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch and drifted off to a lovely nap together.

 **The Next Morning at the Malfoy estate in Wales**

Draco Malfoy was ecstatic that he was going with his father to buy his first slaves at the Diagon Alley Gringotts in a few minutes. He smiled with sadistic glee as he fantasized about all of the things he was planning to do to those three blood traitors this afternoon and over the next few days. He couldn't believe his luck. Even Saint Potter couldn't be naive enough not to know must of some of the ways he was going to dehumanize those girls. Potter must loathe Bones, Abbott, and Weasley with his whole soul to subject them to that sort of torturous existence for the rest of their lives.

His father, Lucius Malfoy, told him to hurry up as they had a mandatory meeting with the Dark Lord in 90 minutes. They took their floo into the alley and walked into the bank like they owned the place. Even if they had lost most of their money yesterday and with Potter gone from England, they were still in the top three wealthiest families in England. They walked into Conference Room One and met Potter's Account Manager, Throatslasher, Madam and Susan Bones, Lord, Lady, and Hannah Abbott, Mr., Mrs., and Ginny Weasley. With lecherous smirks, the Malfoys gave proper pureblood salutations to the humans in the room and the briefest of acknowledgments to that filthy goblin.

Lucius stated, "Let's get this over with as soon as possible. We are here to take possession of the chattel and be on our way."

"Please, Lord Malfoy. There must be some arrangement that we can make to keep our daughters?" pleaded Lord Abbott.

As Lucius scanned the room, he noticed that everyone but the goblin had looked upon him with humble supplication. He relished in the power that he held over them. He glanced over at Throatslasher and said, "Goblin what does that pompous half-blood require for the completion of this transaction?"

"My esteemed client requires that you and your Heir, Draco, make payment, sign these three forms with these blood quills and initial in these six highlighted spots. Afterward, the contractual terms are acknowledged as valid until voided by you," replied the goblin with a glistening smirkiness in his eye that no one in the room could read.

Lucius was in such a hurry to get back to his manor, and the upcoming meeting with his Lord that he quickly signed and then handed over the quill to Draco to sign. Draco had a nagging feeling that he should take the time to read the contract like his mother, a member of the Black Family, had attempted to instill permanently into his mind. Like her lessons on being cunning, using subtlety, networking, and resourcefulness, he once again disregarded her sage wisdom as carelessly as he would cast aside a dirty kerchief after super. As he placed his initials the last box, there was a flash of gold signaling that the agreement was binding. The outfits on Susan, Hannah, and Ginny glowed for a second and conjured long black Victorian Era English Maid outfits with white bonnets, and starched white aprons appeared on each of them respectively. Additionally, an unconventional silk choker appeared around their necks with the words Housekeeper, Femme de Ménage, Limpiadora, Hausangestellte, and прислуга embroidered in large silver letters.

Lucius commented, "Those outfits are infinitely more than you will be wearing in the manor. Let's go!"

Before anyone could react, Throatslasher asked, "Would you like a copy of the contract to take with you or placed in your vault?"

Draco interrupted and said, "We don't need the contract, you filthy animal! I'm taking my whores out of here and will be teaching them their place shortly." Draco tossed the Goblin a silver sickle, "Keep the change!"

Throatslasher dipped his head in a mock salute trying to disguise his laughter, then snapped his fingers, and the contract disappeared from the room. Another snap and the door unlocked and opened to allow the occupants to leave. Lucius marched from the room with an unspoken expectation that the others would be following. He didn't have time for this nonsense. If he didn't have everything ready for the Dark Lord's meeting, he would prefer to switch places with one of Draco's slaves. He thought it was strange that the outfits and the chokers were so specific.

The quivering girls had hoped to have last minute hugs with their family members before they left, but an impatient Draco was too aroused by the thoughts of what he was going to do to them.

Susan was straggling behind Ginny and Hannah by about six paces until Draco ruthlessly smacked Susan's behind to speed her along. Simultaneously, a short wave of nausea stung Draco, but he discounted it as mere hunger from skipping breakfast.

The whimpering maids failed to keep up with Lucius' determined stride. As they exited the bank and headed to the apparition point, a snarling Lucius turned and released his wand from his cane to teach them a quick lesson for inconveniencing him. As there was almost no one around to see and no one in earshot, he knew the perfect curse for the occasion.

Throatslasher and his guards observed the scene in the alleyway with much interest, even though he cared very little for the welfare of wizards besides Harry and Daphne. He thought Harry was letting them off very lightly, but he agreed that the enemies to all of existing magical beings were a priori. He was visibly angered by what the Malfoys were about to do.

Ginny saw the terror-inducing look in Lord Malfoy eyes as he lifted his wand to strike her. His aim at seven meters rarely missed and this time ought to be no exception, he cast the cruciatus curse straight to Ginny's face, while Draco was three meters behind Hannah and about to send the same unforgivable into her back. The crimson spells flew straight towards them but about half a meter from their intended targets the spell stopped mid-air for about five seconds and then suddenly shot up into the air and exploded like a medium size firework.

The Malfoys looked down at their respective wands in wonder and noted that their wands started to disintegrate and most of their strength evaporated. A piece of rubbish landed into each of the Malfoys' outstretched wand hands, and they felt the unmistakable magical feeling of a port-key latching onto the back of their navels. After a short moment, they stopped spinning, Lucius noted that they were more than four meters from the ground and they quickly crashed to the Earth. Once the pain of having the wind knocked out of him ceased, Draco discovered a duplicate copy of the three contracts and an eviction notice. He started to read the two small letters on top of the contracts his mouth hung open in disbelief and distress:

Dear Draco No Name, the Muggle:

I can't believe that you thought that I would sell you a girl let alone three. You have so many intersecting mental disorders that the next edition of the Magical DSM is going to include you as a Case study. You are going to need more than just a mind healer. I would never leave you alone with anyone let alone a small animal as you consider others as playthings to use, rape, abuse, torture, and humiliate. Even though I hate those girls, I will never allow you to treat anyone else like the way you treated my friend, Dobby.

Best of luck in life as an impoverished Muggle. Although with Tom in a bad mood, I doubt you'll make it away from your former parish alive.

Regards,

Lord Hadrian Black, Peverell, Potter, Slytherin, & Heir Gryffindor

He turned the page and found:

Dear Draco No Name,

Please be advised that business with the Goblin nation has concluded and your life is forfeit if even your shadow passes over our territory in the future.

Enclosed are the servant agreements that you signed guaranteeing with your magic the protection, health and well-being, and comfort of your new housekeepers and that you would not strike, curse, hex, abuse, demean, or hurt in any way. Second, is a copy of the form where you irrevocably relinquished access to your portion of the Malfoy fortune and donated it to the new needs-based scholarship program at Hogwarts to be administered and managed by the Goblins in perpetuity. Third, you will find signed in your blood a document renouncing the Malfoy name. Lastly, in the bag, you find your change of 28 knuts, the full extent of your fortune.

Your father's documents are similar. He vowed on his magic to take care of those girls, and thus like you, he has lost his magic. He granted your mother a divorce and half of the remaining Malfoy fortune. She has left the country for a better life. He donated the rest of his assets to the Hogwart's Development and Revitalization fund. Lastly, he signed a confession for his past crimes and acknowledged his part in Tom Marvolo Riddle Junior's Resurrection, the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, his bribing of ministry officials, et al.

I hope that Tom Riddle (named in memory of his Muggle father) doesn't track you down and kill you now that you are less magical than his mother, an inbred squib.

The pleasure has been mine,

Throatslasher

Head of Clan BAMFs

Senior Account Manager to Lord Black, Peverell, Potter, Slytherin, & Heir Gryffindor

Commotion, from the manor, alerted him to a new issue. After looking up from the documents, the color drained from Draco's face as he watched all of the occupants violently thrown from the doors or windows of the manor. The Dark Lord was the least graceful in his exit as he haphazardly tumbled down the hill causing a few including Draco to laugh at ridiculousness of the Dark Lord's misfortune. As the Dark Lord came to a stop, he slowly lifted himself up and shot off curses at any that had dared to mock him. The closest three hyenas felt their Master's displeasure as their blood boiled while blood vessels slowly ruptured across much of their bodies. The next closed two jokers were crucioed until they collapsed in seizures. Draco hopes of being overlooked vaporized as he was the next to feel Lord Voldemort's crucio. It was about ten times worse than his father's. Draco passed out due to the loss of blood after he had bitten off his tongue during the second dose of the curse.

A concussed Lucius had missed the scene due to his recent nosedive. As he came to, he felt the foreboding that it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. From the position of the sun, he knew it was the afternoon, but he couldn't remember anything since the prior evening. As he took in the scene, he wondered why his son's mouth and face were bloody and that his Master was on a warpath. As Lucius tried to lift his body from the ground, he found that he had a fractured wrist and that he couldn't find his wands. At his side, he found some official notices from Gringotts Bank. As he read through the documents, his lightheadedness returned causing him to collapse back on the ground.

The Dark Lord needed to exact some revenge, and the impulse drove him to make some inferri. He apparated to Godric's Hallow to desecrate the Potters graves. As he appeared in graveyard, as he marched to where the Potter's were supposed to be, he found that their graves were empty. Not only his parents but every Potter, Peverel, and Gryffindor was missing. In his rage, he cast friendfyre at the neighboring church and left with a loud pop to find his next place to attack.

Back in the alley, the chokers fell from the girls' necks, and their outfits returned to the clothes that they had worn to the bank earlier that day. Sensing their freedom, the girls took off running back to the bank and embraced of their loved ones.

Throatslasher thought to himself, 'If only those idiots would have waited until they left the alley to curse those girls; he would be 10,000 galleons richer, and he would wipe that roguish smile off of Lord Potter's face by finally winning one of their little wagers.'

Throatslasher and Potter had a bet on how soon after the signing would the Malfoys trigger the penalty clauses in the contract. Harry was overly confident that it would be before the Malfoys even left Diagon alley and Throatslasher was sure it would be least an hour after they had arrived at home.

Madam Bones asked Throatslasher, "What do we do now? Does Lord Potter have any more instructions for us?"

"The contract between Lord Potter and the Malfoys has been completed. As you have observed that was the quickest way to terminate those girls' indentured servitude. From my understanding that you forfeited your fortune due to your violations of various treaties, I suggest that you apply for the brand-new needs-based scholarship to Hogwarts that Draco No Name so generously funded with all but his last silver sickle. Now bugger off you pillocks!" He replied. Throatslasher turned from the Bones and Abbott families and started to walk back to his office. As he passed the Weasleys, he made eye contact with Arthur and Molly and gave them a devilish fang filled smile that drove home that the future for them would not be a bright one.

After arriving back to his office, he finished paperwork and decided to send a note to his favorite smug shmuck of a client.

Dear Harry and Miss Daphne,

Your plan worked flawlessly, and the Malfoy fortune has been put to much better use to update and revitalize Hogwarts and to provide scholarships beginning with the upcoming school year.

The new Headmaster, cousin Filius, has been notified that the funds are at his disposal to enact the agreed-upon improvements. He sends his regards and hopes you will return to Scotland someday to personally witness the results of our enacted aspirations.

I was able to verify that the only casualties in the assault on Azkaban were the confirmed Death Eaters and the Dementors on that level of the prison.

We have captured Dolores Umbridge and four Death Eaters and sent them to the debtors' mines and dragon pens. I expect in next week's note there will be many more that are no longer a plague to society.

Next, Her Majesty, the Queen, contacted me and asked that I notify you that she has found that multiple magical manipulations have been placed in her residencies impeding correspondence with Harry Potter the child and she apologizes for her inability to fulfill her obligations to you. She would like to meet with you during either her State Visit to the United States next week or in Canada the following week. I'd suggest taking the meeting and demand onerous concessions out of her attempted reconciliation. Please let me know if you have a response?

My next task for the day is to send Miss Delacour to our healers and pass along your invitation for her to join you in the Americas. She has seemed depressed since she came to work for us. I'll let you know if we find that she has been under any controlling influences.

Lastly, your winnings from our bet have been forwarded to the Magical European Council on Refugees and Exiles augmenting your prior donations to the cause.

Best regards,

Throatslasher


End file.
